GOD GIVES

THE

INCREASE

CONTENTS

Dedication Forward Acknowlegdgement Introduction

1.

Understanding Increase

2.

The Super-Spiritual Church

3.

The Big Problem

4.

Indices of Carnality

5.

The More Excellent Way

6. All Things Are Yours

DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to the Holy Spirit for the inspiration and the insight into the WORD of God. To my Bishop, Saint Okoroafor (G.O. BLCC) and family, for his humility that inspires me. To my pastor, Valentine A. Okelue, for being a man of principle rooted in the Word. To all pastors in Bible Life Christian Church, Enugu Branch, and worldwide. To Rev. Ochida for being a father to me and for his wonderful advices. To all my children in Ogba Lesson Students' Christian Fellowship (OLSCF), for being there to receive God's Word and for their encouragement. To my family for being there for me. To my friends in the work of the ministry, Rev. Chinedum Ikpa, Brother Ndubuisi E. Okoh (Bro Word) Pastor Chukwuemeka Isiagba, Pastor Barr. Agozie Ezenyiriroha, Pastor John Chijiokem, Pastor Ezekiel Utughe, Pastor Chris Ngerem, Pastor Emmanuel Chukwu for being partners indeed in this work. and to all the members of Gospel Youths Ministries I'nt, Abakpa Family Chapter.

UNDERSTANDING

INCREASE

Having an understanding of increase and how it works will make you outstanding. Why? Because, before one can say, I am outstanding he/she must have known the intricacies of why and what he is outstanding in. understandeth thou what thou readeth, this was the question of Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch, also in all your getting get understanding (). Therefore understanding is very important in virtually every endeavor. Jesus said, ye era because ye do not understand the scriptures ().

We are living in a world of increase mentality, where everybody is striving to increase in what they od. You will be right to say, we are living in the world that is governed by increase. A man gets married today for companionship and more so for procreation, thats increase; he gets a wife to 'help-meet' him in that business. No business man goes into business to fail, make a loss or be put out of business. He goes there to increase and make profit. A farmer,

likewise, cultivates his farm in hope. What is that hope? Increase! A student studies for the sake of increase, that is he seeks to increase in knowledge and with hope that after school, he will get a good job, marry a good wife/husband and have wonderful children. This is increase in its own dimension.

God is the originator and the initiator of increase. He is behind every increase you are see today. Yes, He gives the increase but not without following a divine principle which I call the principle of ORDER, INCREASE and DOMINION.

This principle is very important because missing it would be like forgetting to apply oil in your car and you need not to be told how disastrous and risky it is to your life and your car. God is a God of principles; have all the anointing and disregard His principles and be ready for the rocks.

From Genesis 1:1-25, God was busy creating order, before making man. Man wasn't made before the sea, firmament, animals and vegetation. They were made before man and that is the order we're talking about. There must be order before increase. Your car must be in order before you accelerate (increase) the speed. A family may never increase if there is no order, the husband loving his wife, the wife submitting to her husband and their children living in total

obedience to their parents. This is the family order, without which there will be no increase and consequently no dominion.

Even in the human body, we see this principle at work

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members

of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be

Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink

into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.

If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand,

I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body;

is it therefore not of the body?

If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing,

where were the smelling?

But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body,

as it hath pleased him.

And if they were all one member, where were the body?

But now are they many members, yet but one body.

And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to

the feet, I have no need of you.

Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to

be more feeble, are necessary:

And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these

we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body

together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members

should have the same care one for another.

And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member

be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.1Cor 12:12-27

God has set order in our body according to the above scriptures. Take time and study this part of the Bible and see how orderly God has positioned every member of the body. The whole body cannot be an eye, ear or even foot. There will be confusion if the whole body is just one part, the whole body cannot be an eye and we cannot have increase in the mist of confusion.

The body can only increase when there is order. You cannot be abusing your body and at the same time expect to increase, no it does not work that way. You don't violate the principle and expect to be blessed. Thank God for the anointing but thank God much more for divine principles. Talking about principle, patterns may change but principles dont, that way we say that God is a God of principles. And we have two dimensions to our increase in life and ministry. The first one is the GRACE of God-the ability of God working on our behalf.

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples,

he gave them power against unclean spirits,

to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness

and all manner of disease Provide neither gold,

nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey,

neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves

: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

Matt 10: 1,9-10

From the above scripture, it is what they needed He gave to them and that is power which is the same as grace. In verse 9 and 10, He specifically told them what not to carry, no money, no extra change of coat, no shoes and so on. Why? Because what He gave them is enough to provide these entire things. Permit me to say here that when you have power, you equally have the grace for increase because the Lord later asked them if they lacked anything when He sent them out, they said no. This is grace that makes for increase! ()

The second is the principle of God. God has built life on principles. A principle is a universal fact, something that is true everywhere. For example, putting your car in reverse gear will make the car to go backwards not forward. The easiest way to have increase in your life is to understand

these principles and live by them. Another analogy is electricity, we have the wire and the gadgets, and this is the law of electricity and magnesium working. If Power Holding Company of Nigeria takes like, well still have the wires and the gadgets, but you wont enjoy them. Now the electricity is the grace (anointing), while the principles are the gadgets that will make your life comfortable. So, if you have the principles without the grace, the principles wont produce for you. The difference is the grace, but then you need to have the principles for increase to answer to your life.

It was after God created order that He made man

God said unto them Gen 1:28

This is where dominion comes in; this is order, multiplication (increase) and dominion. Dominion is very essential to our living successfully here, but it is brought about by the of life order and increase.

And God blessed them and God said unto them,

Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue

it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea,

and over the foul of the air, and over every living

thing that moveth upon the earth.

Gen. 1:28.

Isn't it great? God asked man to increase, not just to increase but to subdue and dominate. When Adam sinned, humanity lost the anointing and the grace for increase, though Adam was able to reproduce after his own kind not after Gods kind. But thank God for the restoration of that grace for increase through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God. God is saying that He has blessed you and given you all that you needed for your increase, so go ahead and increase. That grace is on you now. I cause every stagnation in your life and release you into this realm of divine increase in Jesus Name. Amen. Increase comes before dominion. (Gen1:28). Without increase, you cannot dominate. Why? It is because increase makes for dominion. This is very simple. When you have increased in the area of medicine and surgery, youll dominate in it, likewise in any other discipline. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to this truth. There are folks who want to dominate before they increase, but try as they may, experiencing increase has been an illusion. One of the principles of God is order,

increase, and then dominion. You don't put the cart before the horse, if you do, your destination will be a mirage.

Let's move on by defining increase. According to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, increase is to become or make something greater in number, quantity and size. In the word of God, the Bible, we have countless scriptures that talked about making something greater in number, quantity and size. Let us examine some of them.

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was

multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against

the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected

in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the

multitude of the disciples unto them, and said.

It is not reason that we should leave the word of God,

and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among

you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost

and wisdom, whom we many appoint over this business.

But will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the

ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole

multitude; and they chose Stephen, and man full of faith and

the Holy Ghost And the word of God increased and the number

of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company

of the priest were obedient to faith

(Acts 6:1-5,7).

Friend, there is a matter here, God's word said, in those days what multiplied was the disciples. Now, get this right, there is nothing wrong in numerical growth. The problem here, I believe was that of misplacement of priority. How do I mean, what brought about the multiplication is food, not the Word. It was then the Grecians knew that their brethren were neglected. The

Bible said, there arose a murmuring. When folks resort to murmuring, then the word will lose its flavor. Why won't there be murmuring, when the focus has been lost.

Watch out, the devil loves this kind of increase, the increase brought about by food. Anything can stand as your food. What have you elevated above or substituted with the word and prayer? It can be music, church building, attractive decorations etc. All these are good in itself but should not take the place of the Word. They must be placed secondary; placing them above the Word will create murmuring and misunderstanding. No wonder a murmuring arose, but thank God for the twelve who called the disciples together and

said, it is not reason that we should leave

the word of God, and serve tables.

Acts 6:1

Thank God for the wisdom of the twelve. The word of God was neglected; this is to say that JESUS CHRIST was left behind. Would you now agree with me that there are so many church gathering with sophisticated music and building that have left Christ (the Builder of the Church) behind. Increase numerically brought about by another activity than the WORD will breed

murmuring, confusion and frustration, anytime!

The twelve via the wisdom of God knew what the problem was and set out to bring order to the church. They did this by going back to the principle of ORDER, INCREASE and DOMINION. They knew that for real increase to manifest the murmuring must stop and something spiritual must take the place of food which is physical. Food in itself is not bad, but dont allow the devil to take advantage of your appetite.

There is something about physical food that if you don't control, it will control you. If you don't put it down, it will put you down. This is serious, imagine, the multitude hired ship and pursued after Jesus and someone will say, hey, these people love Jesus. No. my friend, the story will turn bitter to you when you hear Jesus' comment on their action.

Jesus answered them and said, verily, verily,

I say unto you, Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles,

but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled

. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for

that meat which endureth unto everlasting life,

which the Son of man shall give unto you: for

him hath God the Father sealed

(John 6:26-27).

So, why did they contribute money to hire ship? Food! Jesus told them point blank, your priority and focus is the problem. Labour for something eternal, and that is the WORD. It is eternal because even when there is no food, you'll be nourished by it. Hallelujah! Hear thisThe first Adam failed because of food, the second Adam triumphed over food He told satan man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Math 4:4).

The twelve succeeded in restoring order and the resultAnd the word of God increased and the number of the disciples multipliedand a great company of priests were obedient to faith (Acts 6:7).

Remember we read in verse one that in those days when the number of the disciples multiplied Take note of the adverb of time when. This implies that disciples will always multiply when there is enough food on the table unlike verse seven, where we read And the word of God increased and the number of the disciples multipliedand a great company of the

priest were obedient to faith. Our attention here is on the word and, which is normally used at the beginning of a sentence (as used in this verse) to introduce or emphasize an additional point. So, the result of the order set by the twelve became verse seven. At this point the word of God increased which culminates in the multiplication of the disciples and priests became obedient to faith.

Formally, food was the focus and that brought murmuring, but now the Word of God took over and disciples multiplied greatly and then disobedience was sacked. The priests became obedient by reason of Word increment. Hear me, multiplication of disciples through the effect of food will run down any church while multiplication through the effect of God's word will establish the church in obedience.

Remember we said earlier that God is the originator and the initiator of increase. First, God's word increased and this led to the multiplication of the disciples. It did not say that the number of the disciples added, divided or even subtracted, it said the number multiplied. Praise the Lord! This is awesome. You see, the kind of multiplication caused by God's Word is always in geometric progression, not in arithmetic progression.

And the word increased the number of the disciples multiplied

(Acts 6:7)

The above scripture rendered this way is the principle of church growth our modern ministers have missed. The number of disciples cannot multiply without us giving the first place to Gods Word; it is an increment of the Word of God that will make sinners come to church and believers being eager to be in church. Why? Because, it is the word of God that multiplies disciples, not our decorated altars, air-conditioned pews and sophisticated music. Listen, sheep do not go to where there are brown grasses, they naturally move to where there are green grasses. It was David that said he makes me lie down in green pastures. As you lie down as it were in Gods Word, youre lying in greatest force in the universe, and consequently youll be an embodiment of increase. Allow Gods Word to increase in your life and see what God can do.

You say brother, people are not eager to attend church again, with my beautiful church edifice, with the best music in town. The Bible said, And the word of God increased not and the music increased. Thank God for good anointed music, but they cannot be placed (substituted) above the WORD. No other activity can replace the Word of God.

and a great company of priests were obedient to faith.

Acts 6:7

Prior to this, some of the priests were just lazing about, wallowing in outright disobedience to the Faith. Which faith? The virgin birth, death, burial, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ; these are the basis of our faith. So, the priests were like they didn't know what to do or believe again. From many quarters, people were talking about the latest happenings in town. The bribed soldiers had gone into town, telling everyone that Jesus has not risen, that His disciples came in the night and stole His body (Mathew 27:62-66). I believe the rumor had its negative effect on some of the priests, and as such, they did not know what to believe again. And this contributed to their being complacent in their calling. They left, doing other things neglecting their office. But friend, the devil is a liar; he cannot keep you down for so long. If you have been disobedient to the faith because of the lies of the devil? Rise up and contend for the faith that was once delivered unto you (Jude 3). Don't believe the lie of the devil; I see increase is coming into your life in Jesus Mighty Name. The devil can be making noise in your mind right now, asking you to drop this book, but tell him that your God cannot lie. He cannot

be beaten in a fight. He cannot be taken unawares. Tell him (the devil) that my God is the Master Strategist. He just knows what to do. Hallelujah! He knows what to do to bring about that increase in your church, in your life, in your family, in your finances and in all you have waited for so long. I tell you something, He knows what to do to silence the devil in your life.

He pushed up His word and increase was set in motion, and the resultant effect being that great company of priests who were once complacent, now became obedient to faith. This is an increment in size brought about by the increase of the word of God, which replaced the increment in size brought about by food. This is why I believe Paul asked the Colossian believers to allow Gods Word to dwell in them richly in all wisdom (Col 3:16). Hes telling them to live the Word, act the Word and speak the Word.

And they continued daily with one accord in the temple

having favour with all people. And the Lord added

to the church daily such as should be saved

(Acts 2:46-47).

And the Lord added and they multiplied, and the Lord increased daily, not every two days, not every week, not even monthly, not to talk of yearly. But every day. Daily the Lord added to the church. Friend, it was a daily affair, the Lord causing increase in His church. This is not a matter of Sunday, Sunday event; this is heavens releasing an overflow of God's Word that will compel men everywhere to seek God.

But in the last days it shall come to pass, that

the mountain of the house of the LORD

shall be established in the top of the mountains,

and it shall be exalted above the hills;

and people shall flow unto it.

Micah 4:1

Why would people flow into the house of the Lord? Simply put, the WORD! No wonder God said that He has exalted His Word above His Name. (), and Jesus said

I will build my church and the gates of

hell shall not prevail against it

(Matt. 16:18).

He alone is the builder and the One who increases his church, on one else. He is the Word of God personified, the Bible said and the word became flesh. The truth is that Jesus builds His church through us, His servants. Remove Him and the building (the believers) collapses. If the Lord is not building you, all your efforts is in vain and consequently, you will lack increase (Ps. 124: 1-2). So my dear check your life. Is the Lord the one building you? How is your life like? No increase in your prayer life? Your bible study life is dry, no life, theres no excitement again as you pick your bible to study? The other areas of your spiritual life are virtually sun-baked; there is this spiritual famine over your life. But Ive got good news for you. I can hear the sound of an abundant rain. It is the rain of God's Word, the rain that will bring increase in place of lack, joy in place of sorrow, prosperity in place of adversity, life in place of death. He is coming, with all-round increase, or has He not said:

I will open rivers in high places and fountains in the

mist of the valley; I will make the wilderness

a pool of water and the dry land springs of water.

I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah trees,

the mgrtle, and the oil tree and the pine and

the box tree together. That they may see and know

and consider and understand together that the hand

of the lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it

(Isa. 41:18-20).

That they may know and consider and understand that the hand of the Lord has done this and that the Holy One of Israel has created it. What has the Lord's hand done? You can shout it with me INCREASE! I see the Lord doing in your life just as He has spoken in His Word. I command increase in every area of your life and ministry in Jesus Mighty Name! Indeed, it is God that gives increase. You are lifted!

THE SUPER-SPIRITUAL

CHURCH

They have everything the present church is striving for, both physically and spiritually, yet they are the most carnal church you will come across in the Epistles. In all their spirituality and holiness, Paul, the apostle had to rebuke them by asking are you not carnal and walk as men? (1 Cor. 3:3). These are saved men walking as unsaved (carnal) men. Spiritual giants behaving like babies (v. 1).

This is a very serious issue confronting our lives, ministries, even churches. We often hide under the cloak of the anointing to do service for God's kingdom, but the anticipated increase is not coming. Is God a liar? No, my dear, what brings increase is the word of God birthed in power and in spirit, not just the anointing. It is carnality that makes a saved man walk as men, spiritual giants reason like babies and the blood-bought church of the King of kings and the Lord of lords to be in a rut.

Now, I beseech you brethren that by the name

of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye speak the same thing,

and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye

be perfectly joined together in the same mind

and in the same judgment

(1 Cor. 1:10).

What a church! In their high state of spirituality, they do not speak the same thing. Each time they gather, it will be to conclude the argument carried over from the previous week. There were hot divisions among them, in fact there was no agreement on what to believe, live and teach (Amos 3:3).

They come together, but could not work together. Imagine that kind of church, the spirit of Babel was at work, they didn't speak the same thing and they didn't understand each other either. Imagine a family where the husband and wife do not speak the same thing, confusion, rebellion and unfaithfulness will be the order of the day. So Paul was begging them to be

perfectly joined together in one mind, to speak the same thing so that the Lord will release His increase on them.

Favoritism was at work. This is a church where they have more than one pastor and some of them preferred one pastor to another, in their loud voices of argument, (one group will shout, we are of Paul, the other group will shout him down saying you don't know anything. Paul is a very strict man, haven't you heard him speak? He is so strict for us, Apollos is our man, a man of great boldness and eloquence'. Yet another group from the back will scream, you people don't know anything. Let's stop all this argument and vote for Cephas, a man of in-depth revelations. He's the person that got the revelation of whom Jesus is when every other person was scratching their heads. Brothers and sisters, Cephas is the man we have been waiting for!)

Can you imagine this? But this is what is going on in some of our churches today. May the Lord have mercy on us and open our eyes to know that increase is His purpose for us. You see, the devil likes this kind of church; he like to keep the church busy doing things that are irrelevant and contrary to the words of Jesus. We have to stop him here and now, we have to counter him with the wisdom of God, rather than making our boast in the wisdom of men emanating from our divisions and contentions. I believe Paul has a mandate from God to put to an end their way

of life. It was in this church that fornication was the order of the day, not just fornication but incest (1 Corn. 5:1-2), with one dragging another to court (1 Corn. 6:1-7) and fighting over the communion table. Contentious questions were rising from every quarter, questions on marriage, on meat offered to idols and so on. Paul, filled with the wisdom of God, gave answers to them all, but in supplying the answers, he said to them:

And I brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual,

but as unto carnal even as unto babies in Christ.

(1st Corn. 3:1).

Paul is telling them here you have all the qualities of a spiritual church, but you are not spiritual but carnal. I cannot speak to you as spiritual people but as carnal, that is, as people that are yet to be saved. Speaking to you as spiritual men will destroy you the more, it will make you believe that what is going on in your mist is ordained of God, while it is far from what the Lord wants from you. So you need something that will help you outgrow your carnality and that thing is MILK!

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat;

for hitherto ye were not able to bear it

, neither yet now are ye able

1st Cor. 3:2.

I have fed you with milk This suggests that for a long time, Paul has been labouring amidst this people, but they simply refused to grow. Even as the milk is coming they were not able to bear it; this is serious!

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers,

ye have need that one teach you again

which be the first principles or the oracles of God;

and are become such as have need

of milk and not of strong meat.

(Heb. 5:12).

By now, these saints are supposed to be teachers but the painful thing is that they are being taught again the first principles of the oracles of God. Paul seems to be saying, I have fed you with milk and since there has not been any sign of increase, I'll continue feeding you with milk The writer of Hebrews continued by saying that he was unskillful in the word of righteousness, that is still using milk (Heb. 5:13). No wonder, the problems in the Corinthian church and even in our lives and churches today. They cannot use strong meat because it is for the ones that are of full age. Those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (v. 14).

Increase comes upon spiritual men of full age, not carnal men that are still struggling for the feeding bottle.

Ever learning and never able to come to the

knowledge of truth

(2nd Tim. 3:7).

Is this your problem? The increase of the Lord is about to break loose on you. You can't stay this way again. The Lord wants you to grow; He wants to reap fruits from your life. You can say no to carnality now and move up to the next level of spiritual experience with the Lord the level of full-age.

And I brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual

but as unto babies in Christfor hitherto, you were

not able to bear it neither yet now are ye able

(1st Corn. 3: 1-2).

Speaking to them as babies, I believe, was a method Paul adopted to enable him reach to the root of their spiritual dryness. If increase should come, then the foundation of their faith must be repaired through the desire of the word.

And the word of God increased desire the

sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

(Acts. 6:7; 1st Peter 2:2).

Paul said, I have fed you with milk (1st Cor. 3:2). The word of God has been coming to you. God in His mercy has been increasing his word among you, but there is no desire that will make the increase to manifest in your life. Lack of desire for God's word will launch a man into the realm of dryness and confusion. It is desire that will push one from the level of learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth to the level of full-age, because desire is the same thing as expectation. Are you the type that your expectancy level drops whenever God's word starts coming. Instead of faith which is the virtue that comes by the word, doubt takes over, get ready, reposition yourself, trigger off your faith for Gods increase is about to invade your life.

Hear me; no matter the condition of your life and ministry, there is hope. Your increase is tied to your desire for God's word. How are you panting after the water-brook-(God's word); (Psalm

24:1)? How hot is your desire towards God and His word? That will determine the level of increase that will come upon your life. Remember, those that hunger and thirst after God and His word will be filled. Increased! (Matt. 5:6).

Don't just settle for less. Stop saying to yourself, What will be, will be. You're greater than what you are now. Just look inside yourself, you'll see you are more than what you're celebrating now. Eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, no heart have ever conceived it, what the Lord has for us all (1st Corn. 2:9-10). Increase is your inheritance in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah! I see the Lord setting you free from ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth. It is your time to increase.

THE BIG PROBLEM

Paul being a man of indebt revelation made an interesting and very fascinating discovery; he discovered the canker worm behind the carnality and spiritual malnourishment of the Corinthian church. This is the big problem behind their contentious divisions and unwholesome

display of attitudes. And friend, this is also one problem the church today is battling with and this canker has even infiltrated into individuals that once had a bright destiny in their walk with God. The canker is ignorance.

Now concerning spiritual gifts brethren,

I would not have you ignorant

(1st Corn. 12:1).

You see, ignorance can cause stunted growth in the life of a church. Doesnt it concern you that a church with such wonderful spiritual gifts can still be ignorant of how those gifts work? Now from the above scripture, Paul said, I would not want you to be ignorant which suggests that they are completely ignorant of how the spiritual gifts they carry work and Paul would want them to get knowledge; this goes to say that the answer of ignorance is knowledge. Ignorance is a task master, avoid it

This is the age of knowledge. God's word says that knowledge will increase but not knowing how that knowledge works or functions is very dangerous. Everyone is claiming to know better

than his neighbor, but the truth is that even in the mist of your so-called knowledge, there are still traces of ignorance. The Corinthian church have spiritual gifts, but were ignorant of what they carry, and because of this, they were not fully maximizing the gifts. Ignorance of how spiritual gifts work will produce negative results, no matter how sincere you are.

In the forth book of Hosea, God lamented and is still lamenting today concerning the condition of the church. He said, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (verse 6). They are God's people; no one is disputing that, but destruction is ravaging them. Now, the phrase are destroyed does not mean that they die, but that they are inoperative, that is, thaey cannot operate in the capacity of God. Isaiah captured the picture very well when he said that God's people are gone into captivity because they lacked knowledge, their honorable men famished and their multitude dried up with thirst (verse13).

Honorable men they were, but they walk like mere men that is to say, men without honour, babies and unreasonable, in fact, they were famished, (very hungry and dried up)! Friend, is this your spiritual condition? Something has to be done and it has to be God.

Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the

lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord,

even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away and

the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for

I will contend with him that contendeth with thee,

and I will save thy children (Isa. 49:24-25).

A man said what you don't know is killing you, and Bishop David Oyedepo said ...there is no mountain (problem) anywhere; every man's mountain (problem) is his ignorance. The answer to ignorance is knowledge. Paul was a committed learner, he told Timothy to bring his cloak, books and parchments, (his jotters) (2 Timothy 4:13). Notice that he asked him to bring the books. Why? I believe in Gods word and with the fact that nothing can substitute God's word, but for your understanding to open, Christian books can be an added resource and advantage. Paul said bring the BOOKS. Daniel, long before Jesus came said I Daniel understood by books (Dan 2:9). You may wonder what kind of books Daniel read in his time,

but that should not bother you much because his understanding open up. You don't wish for knowledge, you seek it out by being a committed reader. Most of the displays of ignorance will fizzle out of the church if believers will take heed of Paul's instructions to Timothy, study to show yourself approved (2Tim 2:15), Bring the books (2 Tim 4:13)

Friend, ignorance is not just the word, it transcends beyond the word to something very mighty and terrible. In the twelfth chapter of first Corinthians, Apostle Paul was also talking to men and women who were preys and lawful captives in the hands of ignorance described as the mighty and the terrible in the above scripture. But the good news is that the Lord will contend with them. Hallelujah! The captive of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered. Delivered by what? Delivered by knowledge! It will interest you to know that the word translated knowledge in Greek is light and that of ignorance is darkness. Darkness is terrible and I see the power of light breaking the fetters of ignorance over your life in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen!

And the light shineth in darkness and the

darkness comprehended it not.

John 1:5,

This is the power of knowledge breaking through the realm of ignorance, setting at liberty those held by it. So, instead of being destroyed by the lack of knowledge, you'll be pulled over in life by its power. Praise the Lord!

There is yet another wonderful depth we need to look at, and I will save thy children (verse 25). Your children will always be recipients of your obedience or disobedience to God's word. The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children (Ps. 115:14). This is God's word to you. First, the increase comes upon you as a parent, then flows down to your children, not the other way round. God said because you have rejected knowledge, He will also forget your children (Hosea 4:6). Listen, one thing about ignorance is that it is not personal, but generational. You're not the only one that will be affected, your children also will be affected; your ignorance will be passed to them. Your children if they refused knowledge, your grandchildren will be affected too. So, it is generational, but thank God that today you can break the link of ignorance in your generation by allowing the light of God's word into your life. No wonder they are famished and dried up, but the knowledge that will provoke increase has come and because of this the Lord is now saying I will save your children (Isa. 49:25);

Hallelujah! So, it is time for heavens to visit you, it is time for all round increase being provoked by knowledge to manifest in your life.

David said, In my distress I cried to the Lord

and He heard me and out of the depths have I cried

unto thee oh Lord. Lord hear my voice let thine

ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications

(Ps. 120:1; 130:1-2).

Hear me; the Lord that heard David is still alive and well, He will hear you as you genuinely cry out to Him. He will turn that captivity around and just like in a dream the increase of Jehovah will flood into your life and ministry (Ps.126:1).

Apostle Paul is saying to us today, this thing you say you carry, do not be a slave to it, and do not be in captivity while you carry it. As far as spiritual gifts are concerned, do not be ignorant.

You must know how they work. Now this is the crux of the matter, knowing how spiritual gifts work. What is the need of having something but lack the knowledge of how that thing works? It will be like owing a car and not knowing how to drive. It is a matter because until the solution is found, contentions and divisions will still be thriving. Until the word of God increase, we may continue to wallow in ignorance. I see the Lord contending with your contenders, that mighty and terrible monster that have subjected and subjugated you in the realm of dryness is being cut off from your life in Jesus Mighty Name. Enjoy the Lord's increase; it's your time to shine!

INDICES OF CARNALITY

The truth is that ignorance is the mother of carnality. Peter said, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus (2nd Peter 3:18). In other words, lack of growth in Christ's grace and knowledge will make one a weakling, though a Christian. Therefore, there is need for growth, there is need for increase and it is the knowledge of Christ that will give birth to it. Remember that Peter said, You are the Christ the Son of the Living God (Mathew 16:16). The

knowledge of His Person is very essential, for it is the only instrument that knocks ignorance out. The knowledge of Christ diffuses ignorance bringing new life into the believer.

As new born babies desire the sincere milk of

the word that you may grow thereby

(1st Peter 2:2).

Christianity is all about growth, it is living, and one of the characteristic of a living thing is growth. As new born babies need their mother's breast milk to grow likewise new born babies in God's kingdom need the milk of God's word. You don't feed a new born baby with solid food that will be endangering the life of that baby. The above scripture says that you may grow thereby, that is, growth by the milk of the word.

To really understand this word carnality, we have to examine the two different words employed by Apostle Paul in dealing with it. He called it the natural man (2nd Cor. 2:14), and the flesh (Rom. 7:18).

The problem of the Corinthian Church was that they were carnally minded. And I brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal (1st Cor. 3:1). This was Paul addressing them, you people are still babies, he said. I can't speak to you as matured men because you cannot handle it. You simply cannot bear it (verse 2).

Milk realm is dangerous when one refuses to outgrow it. It will make you an ever-learning and never coming to the knowledge of the truth (2nd Tim. 3:7). It keeps you a babe all year round. Imagine a baby taking milk, someone will say, yeah, he's a baby and babies desire milk to grow, not just any kind of milk but his mother's milk. Now what do you think of the same baby, now five years old but still clamoring for his mother's breast? Sure, there's a problem, this was exactly the problem of the Corinthians church. The fifth chapter of Hebrew captures it well: For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe (verse 13). Milk users are unskillful; they do not know how to handle the word. Pray that you will come out of the milk realm into the meat realm - the realm of the full age men that are mature and strong in their walk with God.

Most believers are still in this milk realm. Send help O Lord, to bring us out of this milk realm and lunch us into the realm of growth and increase in Jesus Name. Amen.

This carnality is not just the word; it is a spirit sent from the pit of hell to cause lukewarmness, division, contention and strife in the church. It is the spirit that makes people to be proud, boasters, high-minded, trucebreakers, covetous, lovers of themselves, inventors of evil things and so on. It is called the spirit of the last days (2nd Tim. 3:1-7; Rom. 1:17-32).

Do not allow it to get at you; this is why you need to be on guard to know when any of them is creeping into your life. Talking about the last days, Jesus said, Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold (Math 24:12). That is the love of the church for spiritual things! Jesus said that it will be extinguished. Be on your guard, child of God!

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be

spiritually minded is life and peace

(Rom. 8:6).

Carnality also comes from the mind, for to be carnally minded is death (Rom. 8:6). It captures the mind and then begins to manifest on the outside. That is why your mind need a constant renewal to keep it spiritually alert (Rom. 12:2). Still on the mind, we want to look at its two main influences. They will help us to appreciate how important and serious the mind is in this issue of carnality.

Satan Influenced Mind

(2nd Cor. 4:4)

Every person yet to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour is being influenced by Satan. How? Through the person's mind, he/she naturally does Satan's biddings, doing what his master wants.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds

of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of

Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them

( 2nd Cor. 4:4).

He is called the god of this world, the god of every natural man and the world system and He specializes in blinding peoples mind.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,

where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

{affection: or, mind} from the glorious

light of the gospel.(Col 3:1-2)

From the above scripture, the word affection can be translated mind. Dont allow your mind to wander, set it on things above.

The devil influences their minds of unbelievers or carnal believers with negative things and pushes them to disobey God. He influences the mind of young man to do drugs and violence thus pushing him to his death and eternal destruction. He is such a cruel task master that every

young woman under his yoke needs to be delivered. He influences them to do abominable things with their bodies, not knowing that their bodies is the temple of God. (1st Cor. 6:15; 1920). He has so much perfected himself in this game of influencing the mind negatively that children these days are no longer obedient to their parents. He is behind every disobedience, yes, he was once a victim of it. He plants rebellion in the minds of children to rebel against their parents, servants against their masters, and citizens against the law of their nation. Disobedience and rebellion are the two deadly arrows from satan to dislodge the saints of God.

He influenced the mind of Saul, the first king of Israel to run out of patience to perform a sacrifice meant for Samuel to do. Not only that, Saul had a kingly auction upon him, while Samuel had a priestly auction on him. As he was running out of patience, satan pushed or urged him on come on, you can't wait for him forever, see, the Philistines are moving up towards you, do it! He influenced his mind and Saul left his office (kingly office) to the priestly office and did what God have not anointed him to do.

Samuel came and told him thou hast done foolishly (1st Sam. 13:13). Do you remember what Paul told the Galatians? He said, O foolish Galatians, are you so foolish? (Gal. 3:13). Foolishness is as a result of not doing exactly what the Lord has asked you to do. Saul started

well but see how he gradually ended. The devil wanted to perfect him in rebellion; likewise the Galatians started wonderfully, but were perfected in the flesh. Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh (Gal 3:3). This was Pauls rebuke to them. The devil has not finished his mission in the life of Saul, he yet has another deadly arrow to shoot at him and this one will be fatal. He influenced his mind again to disobey God, that made God regret making him king over Israel (1st Sam. 15:10). When Samuel came to him after crying to the Lord all night on his behalf, he told him out-rightly what the Lord instructed him to tell him. And Samuel said, Hath the Lord great delight in burnth offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry (1st Sam. 15: 22: 33).

Friend, Satan is still keeping men and women busy negatively by influencing their minds with negativity so as to keep them from obeying God's voice. Do not let him get your mind, if he does, gradually he will keep you out of fellowship with the Lord and before you knew it, you will be rejected. Saul was rejected from being king because he rejected God's word, hence the completion of Satan's master-minded desire over his life.

God Influenced Mind

(2nd Tim. 1:7)

To be spiritually minded is life and peace

(Rom. 8:6)

God influences the mind according to Apostle Paul. This is to be spiritually minded. It is God's gift to anyone that wants more of Him that longs for the water brooks. These kind of people are not given to fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2nd Tim. 1:7).

Every child of God is influenced by God through the Holy Spirit. God has given us the earnest of His Spirit, Jesus said in the fourteenth chapter of the gospel of John that He will pray the Father and He shall give us another comforter who will abide with us forever. He said the world do not know Him nor can they receive Him, but that we know Him for He dwells with us and shall be in us (verse 17-18). This is awesome; do you know that it is what is inside a man that controls him? The Holy Spirit is with us and in us making us to be spiritually minded, that is, to mind the things of the spirit (Colo. 3:1-2).

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus

(Phil. 2:5).

We are admonished by the above scripture to allow the mind of Christ to operate in us, that is, the sound mind; a mind filled with Gods word, filled with the attitude of Christ. Paul the apostle was so much spiritually minded, so much worded that he operated on a renewed mind constantly. He told us what things we should mind, things we should always think about in the forth chapter of Philippians, let's hear him:

Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are honest, whatever things are just,

whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,

whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue,

and if there be any praise, think on these things

(Phil. 4:8).

Think on these things; let your mind be on them. To the Colossians, Paul said;

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things

which are aboveset your affections (mind)

on things above, not on things on the earth

(Col. 3:1-2).

When you are spiritually minded, you will be heavenly minded and consequently, you will be influenced by God. God will be the one moving you holy men of God spake as they were moved (influenced) by the Holy Spirit (2nd Peter 1:21), (emphasis mine). They could not speak until they were moved, influenced by the Holy Spirit. What do you think made Joseph, Daniel and his three Hebrew friends to be outstanding in their own time? Sound mind!

Deacon Stephen was a man full of the Holy Ghost, faith and power (Acts. 6:7). He started from Abraham to expound the scriptures up to the time of Christ Jesus to the Satan's influenced minds, but their master succeeded in blinding their eyes the more (Acts 7:2-52). His secret was sound mind!

How to be God-Influenced

Get saved, confess the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9). When this happens the Holy Spirit comes to help you grow in God's word as you stop conforming to the world, to be transformed by the renewal of your mind (Rom. 12:2).

Then your natural man begins to be mortified, die, giving place for the new man to thrive/grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2nd Peter 3:18). The new man is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him. It is not any kind of knowledge, but the knowledge of the word, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom (Cor. 3:16). You see, this growth is an everyday experience, there is never a time a child of God should stop growing. The day you stop growing is the day you start dying and divine increase ceases. It may interest you

to know that the end of carnality is death that is its reward to its slaves. The person will be physically alive but spiritually dead, so whenever you see yourself walking into carnality, you are walking in death, no matter the level of your spirituality.

This is serious and you know that a dead man cannot increase physically; likewise a dead spirit cannot increase in spiritual things. This is how serious carnality is, it is a lifestyle that must be unlearned before increase can come. It is your natural tendencies, Paul said,

but the natural man cannot receive the things

of the spirit of God

(1st Cor. 2:11).

It cannot, there is no possibility of that happening. Why? Paul said, spiritual things are spiritually discerned (verse 14).

A babe cannot discern spiritual matters; a natural man cannot come near it. It is a dimension for the mature in spirit and that is why it keeps eluding carnal believers. It is foolishness unto them, they cannot handle it. This is why we must all be careful and vigilant to know and observe when these little foxes start pushing themselves into our lives.

Again, it is fleshy; anything that amuses the flesh has the tendency to lead one into being carnal if not closely watched. In the words of Apostle Paul in the seventh chapter of Romans, he said that there is no good thing in the flesh (verse 18). Friend, no good thing, no matter how one pretends and to cap it up, those in the flesh cannot please God (Rom. 8:8).

Try as you may, you cannot please your flesh and at the same time please God. It is already written, those in the flesh cannot please God and you know what is written is written. I know you want to please God that is why you are reading this book. Also, you want the increase of God upon your life, then listen to the Holy Spirit, you have to forgive that fellow who wronged you. No matter the gravity of the offence, release him and see the Lord release His increase into your life. The truth is that if you are unforgiving, you are carnal and consequently, you are in death (Rom. 8:6). Listen, it was when Job prayed for his friends that his breakthrough

came. His friends accused him of sin, telling him that that was why God was dealing with him; but for his healing to come, he had to forgive them and at the same time prayed for them.

Jesus said, forgive, so that your heavenly Father will forgive you (Matt. 6:14-15). Hear me, unforgiveness has a way of delivering you to tormentors so that nothing good will come out of your life again (Matt 18: 34). So, forgive and be free.

This was the reason behind a brother dragging his brother to court in the Corinthian church (1st Cor. 6:1, 6). Again when you have unforgiveness in your heart, you have a fault and need to be repaired. Heard of a faulty electronic machine or an automobile? It needs to be repaired. So we are all biological and spiritual machines and carnality makes us to be faulty. Paul said to them, there is utterly a fault among you because you go to law with one another (verse 7). We are seeing carnality being displayed more in these last days by those who once started in the spirit. Paul the apostle said to the Galatians:

O, foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you

and you so foolish? Having begun in the spirit,

are you now made perfect in the flesh?

(Gal. 3:1-3).

They started in the spirit, but foolishness is perfecting them in the flesh. Check your life; is this your true picture? Remember those that are in the flesh cannot please God (Rom. 8:8). No matter how pretend, you are ignorant, dry and dead!

This is the time to humble ourselves before God and ask him to help us mortify the deeds of the flesh and unlearn the natural man. It is only when this happens that increase will come, but until then, we can only be famished and thirsty.

THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY

There may be about one thousand and one ways of doing something, but there is always a more excellent way to get things perfectly done. Everybody may know how to drive, but driving has an excellent way of doing it. I have heard about people that have driven for close to thirtyfive to forty years without an accident, and those who met their death just a year into driving. The secret is the excellent way.

Virtually in every human endeavor, science, politics, engineering, technology and medicine, men have excelled because they discovered what others could not. It is called the more excellent way. They increased in their discipline because they were able to unlock the secret behind their work. This truth also holds in the spiritual realm as we are going to explore the excellent way of doing things in this realm.

Increase comes when you discover how spiritual gifts work. Paul found this out through the Holy Spirit and with it; he dealt with the problems in the Corinthian church. This people were completely ignorant of how spiritual gifts work, hence Paul's message to them, I do not want you to be ignorant again (1st Cor. 12:1). You do not have to continue this way, what you carry is given to you for everyone to profit from, it is not just for you alone nor is it given to you for

you to brag about. There is a way to go about this and it is the more excellent way not any other of way, not the secular way, but spiritual way, excellent way!

But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet

show I unto you a more excellent way?

(1st Cor. 12:31).

The Word of God asked us not to covet, in fact God frowns over covetousness but here by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Paul is saying covet earnestly the best gift, do it in an excellent way. He seems to be telling them; I want to show you that the way you have been doing it is wrong and that is the reason you are have problems.

My prayer is that the church of Jesus Christ will go back to this way. Let us stop all this fighting, strife and clamoring for a particular preacher, and attacking one another from the pulpit. There is a better way to do this and that is what Paul is opening our eyes to appreciate. From the thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians, Paul started revealing the mystery of the more excellent

way; it is no other way than the LOVE way. Increase answers to the love way. The love of the Father is the more excellent way to do things in the kingdom. God first demonstrated this love for us and towards us in that while we are yet sinners, His Son Jesus died for us (Rom. 5:8). God's word said,

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten

n son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not

perish but have everlasting life

(John 3:16).

Praise the Lord! Life eternal came through the more excellent way. Thank God for all that came before Jesus, but none of them could conquer sin and death. God had to find another way to deal with the law of sin and death and the more excellent way was proved to be the best. Hallelujah! The way of love conquered sin and death and imparted everlasting life to us there is no greater love than this that a man should lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

Jesus Christ is the love of God personified; He is the excellent way to end the carnality in the church- the ONLY way to unprecedented increase in His body.

You see, the gifts you have will not profit you anything if love is lacking in your life. The best you can be is a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. This is very serious, but sometimes, we regard them as trivial matters. Have all the faith to move mountains, give all you have to feed the poor, offer your body to be burnt and you dont have love, brother, NOTHING! You are nothing! (1st Cor. 13: 1-3). In the thirteenth chapter of John, our Lord Jesus who is love Himself was teaching on what He termed a new commandment and this new commandment is that (the believers) love one another as He has loved us; that is the way we should also love one another (John. 13:34) I believe He is asking us to go and love people His way, not our way. Even faith is nothing without love For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. (Gal 5:6).

The question one should ask now is: how did Jesus love us? He loved us while we are weak, when sin has sapped the whole strength in us. But in due time. He died for us. Praise God, He saved us right on time, in due time!

Again, He loved us while we were yet against Him, while we loved darkness more than light, iniquity more than righteousness. He commended His love towards us and died for us (Rom. 5:6,8). This is awesome going by the definition of commend by the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary. It rendered it this way: to recommend and to be acceptable to somebody.

As you can see, we were doomed for destruction, but the Excellent Way found us, we were recommended to LOVE and that love made us acceptable to God. The scripture says,we are accepted in the beloved (Eph 1:6).

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,

if ye have love one to another

(John 13:35).

There is no other way people (the world) will have the knowledge that we belong to Jesus, that we are really His disciples except, by this. By what? By loving one another, living out His love, the very way He did. He did not love our sins, but while we are deep in what He arbores, He loved us. Friend, that is the excellent way; by this all men will not only know that we are His disciples, but also know the God Who came down to our level to save us. Love is all it took the Father to bring us back to Himself. It was love that made Jesus to submit His will to the will of the Father. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. (Mt 26:39)

I often ask people this, what if Jesus had walked out of the garden of Gethsemane? God forbid, if He had, the bases of our faith would have been destroyed.

There is no uncertainty with the excellent way, it is not ambiguous. It is divine and true; you can trust it for it never fails. Any other thing you are holding so tenaciously will fail and fade but not love. This is why apostle Paul said to them, I will show you a more excellent way of coveting the best gifts, it is the love way (1st Cor. 12:31).

He is saying, talk in tongues the love way, prophesy the love way, remove mountains the love way, give to the poor the love way and if at all you will give your body to be burnt, let it be

burnt the love way! Virtually everything you do, do it the excellent way and increase will be released from heaven to your life and ministry. So, what is the solution? Paul said, follow after

Follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts

(1st Cor. 14:1).

This is where many of God's people have missed it; they place desire for spiritual gifts above love. Anytime you place the gifts above love, you are in error.

In the second chapter of James, we saw how useless faith is without works, the works here are the works of love. Can your faith save a dying brother who does not have money to see a doctor? You just prayed for him and told him, the Lord healeth you while in your bank account, you have more than what is required to send the sick brother to the hospital (verse 14). Brother James continues:

If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily

food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace,

be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those

things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit

(James 2: 15-16).

No wonder, Paul told the Corinthians that there is utterly a fault among them (1st Cor. 6:7). You have the gift of encouragement, there is no doubt about that, but how did you dismiss that brother that came to you for help? You prayed with him, right? Wonderful! Then after the prayers what next? Go in peace and be filled. This saint of God came to you naked and destitute of daily food, but how did you handle the matter? What did you profit from it? Nothing! You are nothing together with your gift of encouragement, brother, this is how bad it is, and you are just nothing!

Tell me, how will he go in peace with hunger and nakedness? Yet you have prophesied on him to go in peace, be warmed and be filled' but before God, you are just a sounding brass and a

tinkling cymbal. James said your faith is dead because it stands alone. Why? There is no works of love attached to it (James 2:17). The excellent way is what the church needs today to silence the accuser and bring back all he has stolen from us. Apostle John sounded it again in his second epistle, he said

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God;

and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

(1st John 4:7-8)

John is saying that our prove of knowing God is love, therefore, if you dont love, you dont know God and to be born of God is to know God. Let love be the yardstick of every activity we engage in and increase will be provoked in our lives.

Welcome to the way of love because with it the long awaited increase will come in every area of your life. The more excellent WAY works.

ALL THINGS ARE YOURS

Do you know as God's child, all things are yours? You are entitled to all things because when you got born-again, you were born into abundance, you were born into increase. Also, as a bonefide member of the heavenly family, you are unique. Stop the crying and begging. You are simply above what you are now by covenant. Imagine a heir to riches, but do not know how wealthy he is, only to be dying in lack and penury. This is just how some of God's people behave, not knowing that all things belong to them.

Friend, it is a tragedy for one to die without knowing that a gold mine is at his backyard. All things are yours, the scripture says. By way of defining all things, the word that made the difference in this statement is all. Therefore, it can be rightly said that all things is everything that God wants you to have and has given you. Let us look at it this way, God has

given us everything, but by His wisdom, He alone knows what you need per time and gives them to you.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly

places in Christ

(Eph. 1:3).

God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ, He is not trying to bless us, He is not going to bless us, He has already blessed us with all things. Paul said all things are yours (1Cor. 3:21). Are you not happy that God is not withholding anything from you? Yes, He does not withhold, He blesses. Our heavenly Father knows what we have need of and He supplies them to us. Does He not take care of the birds and the grass of the field? He makes provision for them out of the all things. You are better than the birds and the grass of the field (Matt. 6:2526). Friend, better provision is yours because all things are yours, including the birds of the air and the grass of the field

According as his divine power hath given unto us

all things that pertain unto life and godliness,

through the knowledge of him that hath called us

to glory and virture

(2Peter 1:3).

All that you needed to take care of your life and live a godly life has been provided for through His divine power. Again it is the knowledge of Christ and knowing how it works that makes all things workable. The scripture says, all things that pertains to life, so don't ever say life has cheated me because the only person whom life can cheat is the man that refuses to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ Jesus (2Peter 3:18).

Being blessed in spiritual blessings will enhance your godly life. It will make you seasoned in the things of the kingdom. That was why Paul said, that you should remove your eyes from men

and fix them on God who alone gives the increase. Do not ever glory in men because men cannot be your standard (1Cor. 3:21). Glory in God, for all things are yours. God is the only one who can make all things yours not men, for with men it is impossible, but not with God for with Him, all things are possible (Matt. 19:26).

Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world,

or life,or death, or things present, or things

to come, all are yours

(1Cor. 3:22).

This is Paul's definition of all things even death. In your life as a Christian, death is dead. Paul said, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil 1:21 ). That is why all things are yours; it is gain not a loss. It is an increase that cannot be fathomed. Hear this, longevity is among the all things, so you are not dying until the number of your days are fulfilled. Friend, you can walk into the realm of all things now and begin to enjoy all that God has provided for you in Christ.

There is this wonderful story told by our Lord Jesus in the fifteenth chapter of Luke. The elder brother to the prodigal son became angry about how their father welcomed his younger brother who just came back after squandering his money. Their father went to the extent of throwing a party in his honour. His annoyance was based on the fact that his father has not appreciated him, not just for a day, not to talk of giving him an awe lamb to celebrate with his friends (verse 28 -29). This young man was right in the mist of plenty, but lacked the necessary knowledge of how to appropriate the plenty. This is a matter in our lives and churches today; the devil is busy having a field's day keeping saints from their legitimate inheritance. Do not ever allow the devil to keep you from the all things provided for you by your heavenly Father. You have to kick him out of your life now! That sickness is not yours; your divine health was among the all things the Lord provided for you through Christ Jesus. The elder brother was living in the mist of abundance but was dying in lack and penury. His father had to open his eyes of understanding to know of his privilege and possession. O Lord, may our eyes be opened to see beyond our now, to know and appreciate what you have provided for us in Christ Jesus, Amen.

His father said to him, look dear son, you

and I are very close, and everything

I have is yours

(Luke 15: 31) NLT.

KJV. rendered it thus:

And he said unto him, son, thou art ever with

me, and all that I have is thine

(Luke 15:31).

May the Lord open your eyes to also see this wonderful reality. I tell you something, it pays to be on the Lord's side, because you will never know lack and calamity. Let us go a little further to see the privilege and the possession

His privilege

son, thou art ever with me dear son,

you and I are very close

(Luke 15: 31; KJV, NLT).

His father was able to calm him down, reminding him of what he has not been able to see his privilege, which is his company, his friendship and his fatherly protection. Child of God, do you realize that you are a privileged, personality because your heavenly Father's eyes are always upon you to protect and keep you?

Jesus said, and lo, I am with you always; even unto the end of the world (Matt. 28:20). His father said to him, dear son, you and I are very close, this is a very striking statement because the closeness here is not just when the son is at home, but also when he is not at home. There is this bound that cannot be broken, wherever this son is, the heart of the father goes all out for him.

Praise the Lord, we and Christ are very close, this is awesome and nothing can separate this divine closeness. Romans, the eighth chapter, asked a question, what shall separate us from

the love of Christ (Verse 35). Friend, it is a joyful thing to know that this closeness and oneness are based on love, that was what their father demonstrated when the prodigal arrived home. No matter how far you have wandered from God, love is still waiting to receive you back. There is a closeness the devil cannot temper with. And the scripture said, when he came to himself (Luke 15:17). The devil cannot go that far, hallelujah! He cannot near the closeness, that is, the bound this young man has with his father. He came to himself and suddenly he realized that he does not belong there, he remembered the closeness he and his father shared, above all he remembered his privilege. So dear friend, it is time to come back home to where you rightly belong.

For you are dead and your life is hid

with Christ in God

(Col. 3:3).

Are you seeing your privileges? Your life cannot be tempered with because you are securely hidden with Christ in God. This is the closeness God wants us to have with Him that will

incapacitate the enemy and make him a perpetual dummy over our affairs. Can I hear you confess this with me? I am a privileged son of the kingdom, I and my heavenly Father are very close, therefore, my life is hid with Christ my refuge and my strong tower. My life is hidden from lack, poverty, sickness, frustration, disappointment and death. Because I am privileged, I refuse to be intimidated by demonic forces; I refuse to bow to failure and stagnation. I consciously and deliberately key into the realm of increase, the realm of all things in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen!

Praise the Lord, I can see the devil humiliated in your life and ministry, and never again will you be subjugated by him, Amen! David said, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want Ps. 23:1). He is always with us, hallelujah! I have never seen a shepherd leaving his flock for something else, or being less concerned to the well-being of the flock. His attention is always where the flock is. He knows the in and out of his flock, he is very close, ever with his flock. This is God for you. He said, I have provided for you. All things are yours to enjoy, lack is forever terminated from your life, and increase that makes for establishment has come to stay in Jesus Name.

His Possession

Another secret his father opened his eyes to is his possessions, that is, his inheritance, his property and his wealth.

and everything I have is yoursand all that

I have is thine

(Luke 15:31; NLT, KJV).

This young man did not know that all that belonged to his father are his, thank God is eyes were opened to this reality. Imagine the son of a wealthy man walking the streets begging or the son of the president caught in armed robbery. Simply put, they do not know their possession. Regrettably, this is how some of God's people carry themselves, not knowing that all that God have is theirs.

The scripture said that the earth is the Lord's and its fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell in it (Ps. 24:1). This was why Paul told the Corinthian church, whether Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life or death, things present and things to come, that all belong to them (1Cor. 3;22).

God is talking to someone reading this now, that there is still hope for you. You are privileged and you have a possession in Christ Jesus. Yes, you will rise again in that business; that family will not break up; your children will come to you. Praise the Lord! Your husband or your wife that left you for another person will come back to you with tears begging. I see God opening the treasure gate of heaven to flood your life with earth breaking testimonies. Indeed, all that God has and all that He is belong to us.

Finally, I see the Lord increasing you in all life's ramifications. When some people will be crying there is casting down, that is; poverty, lack, failure, disappointment, frustrations, sickness and every negative thing, you will confidently say, there is a lifting up, that is, increase in all you do and in all that you are. Your self-esteem will receive a divine boast, your health will not be left out and financially the Lord will decorate you. Heavens will see to it that you are constantly

joyful because indeed, all increase, blessings come from the Father of lights in whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning. I prophecy divine increase into your church, family, career and business. May the Lord bless and keep you, may his face continually shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace (Num. 6:24-26).

Go and increase because you are anointed just to do that! God bless you.