Apostle Joel Obuobisa

-Every Christian must learn how to draw encouragement from within for there are many situations that are discouraging. 1 Samuel 30:1-6 Psalm 42:5 Speak to yourself questioning the validity of the trend: Why are you so discouraged O my soul? 1. Develop a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. Speak to Him and hear Him speak to You 1 John 4:4 says that the 'greater one' is within You. He is the 'Comforter.' John 14:16,26 15:26, 16:7 Eph 5:19 Shows us how to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 2. Receive the Living Messages from God from the simple reading of Scriptures. Learn to see the Bible as a source of comfort. 3. Remember other problems that God has delivered you from. God expects this of us.  Mark 8:15-21 4. Make Positive Confessions based on Faith: Speaking the opposite of the undesirable experiences. Joel 3:10 5. Learn to listen to appropriate messages and get fired up again. Especially camp messages. 6. Play the right music at the right time. 7. Avoid discouraging and depressive people who only draw you back into darkness. 8. Remember that 'joy comes in the morning.' Psalm 30:5

Heb 6:10 This is not about unintentional forgetfulness but a disregard of work and labor of love that they have been shown 1. People who forget are unrighteous 2. People who forget are unrighteous and do not have the nature of God - Heb 6:10 He does not forget those who have labored. - God sees the things that men do not see and rewards them. Eph 6:8. - Also 2 Cor 8:13-14 shows that when we do good to others, we supply for their want that their abundance which is not here now may be for our supply when we are in want later. 3. People who forget are cursed to wither 4. Unrighteous people are not conscious of the dangers of forgetting 5. Unrighteous people forget God when they are rich and they are full 6. Unrighteous people who forget God are often proud - Deut 8:12-14,17 - a lifting up of the heart - Prov 16:18 - pride before destruction - 1 Tim 3:6 - not a novice susceptible to be destroyed by pride - James 4:6 God resists the proud 7. Unrighteous peolpe do not remember anyone when they become wealthy - a product of the pride - Deut 8:18 we must remember that it is God that gives us the power to make wealth - Deut 8:2-3 God prefers to let us see our lack first and know it is Him bringing us into great things that we stop being novice. - Haggai 1:5-6,9

Our common enemy - the devil. We automatically have an enemy in the devil by becoming Christian. Matt 12:43-45 The enemy is interested in recapturing you back to his own. He also puts obstacles in your way to make it least enjoyable for you to be against him. A christian must learn to identify these strategies and learn how to stand firm against them. The devils ways are revealed in his names: understand them and you have more ammo to deal with him. e.g. snakes often use camouflage tactics, hiding in the environment that has the same color as them. 1. devil John 6:70 - ...one of you is a devil? - that is he is a type of devil and not 'the devil.' inhumanly wicked or cruel. extreme wickedness. - refusing to do anything to help a situation is wickedness. 2. Satan - hebrew word meaning adversary Job 1:6 3. adversary - when you encounter a certain level of opposition - 1 Peter 5:8-9 - learn yourself how not to be an opposer. Especially when your idea is not taken or when ideas unlike yours are being used. 4. Accuser of the brethren. Rev 12:10, - Job 1:6-11 Look at v8 how God look at Jon and in v9-11 how the devil sees him - finding ulterior motives and so forth. Like a prosecutor in court. 5. Belial - 2 Cor 6:15 Belial means worthless (Hebrew?) -he causes us to throw away valuable things - young people lose interest in school and things that will add value to them, 6. Angel of the bottomless pit: Rev 9:11 7. The god of this world - blinding people, controlling the course of the world. the value systems etc. That is why many things that are valuable in Christ are not valuable in the world.

(KJV)Galatians 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. (KJV)Philippians 4:15-19 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. [16] For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. [17] Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. [18] But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. [19] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. - Its not about need - Its is received by a man, but it is a sweet smelling savor to God -God wants us to reap maximum benefit from His gifts, and honoring them is one way to handle them with understanding. 1. Your Pastor is a great gift from God Ephesians 4:8,11-14 - The gift is already given. It is up to you to know how to tap them. - God 's mind in giving the gift in v12-14 - A gift can not need bought with money. One day someone tried. Acts8:14-21 2. A Pastor is a source of knowledge and understanding - Jeremiah 3:15 - And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. 3. Your Pastor is a source of strength   Ezekiel 34:2,4 4. A Pastor is a source of healing  Ezekiel 34:2,4; James 5:14-15 5. A Pastor is a source of comfort  Ezekiel 34:4 6. A Pastor is a source of fellowship - gathers the people together  Ezekiel 34:5 7. A Pastor is a source of protection from evil spirits and other destroying factors  Ezekiel 34:5, 8 8. A Pastor helps to avoid wandering Ezekiel 34:6 9. A Pastor is a source if instruction in righteousness  Acts 9: 6, Acts 10:6 10. Your Pastor is a source of rebuke and correction. Everyone needs someone who can rather them. Not everyone. David erred, but had a Pastor who could point out his error - Nathan 11. Your Pastor watches over your soul - Hebrews 13:17  Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. -1 Samuel 12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: - Travailing prayer, Ephesians 1 prayer, Ephesians 3 prayer

1. Demons are challenged by the presence of God. Learn how to cultivate the presence of God around you - how to be in the presence of God. You probably notice how heaviness and depression seem to lift when you come to church... Why The Presence of God Overcomes Demons: 1. The word of God is preached and taught. Heb 4:12 2. The word of God is a light and it exposes the activities of demons. John 1:5. Notice that the trouble spots in your life are the areas you do not discuss with anyone. How can we cultivate the presence of God?: (bring the presence of God around you) 1. Through worship and music. Listening to the right kind of music. There is a wrong kind of music. The devil, the heavenly musician is adept at using music to take the yourh and the culture. 1 Sam 16:14-23, 2 Kings 3:14-16, 2 Chron 5:13-14 2. Prayer - Luke 3:21-22 Jesus prayed and the Holy Ghost descended upon him. 3. Listen to anointed preaching.

Characteristics: -Fear -Territorialism - learn -Depression & Mental Disorders -Isolation -Unnatural behavior - man could not live in a house Luke 8:27 -Excess Capacity for anything Mark 5:3-4 bound with chains but he plucked them off and broke the chains. Acts 19:13-16. Addictions. -Self destruction - cutting himself with stones -Uncontrollable People Mark 5:3-4 neither could any man tame him.

Christians must expect that there is a reason God has called them. A call from God to do anything at all is a privilige and a blessing: 1. Many are called. Matt 22:14 God is interested in many people and provides them opportunity. Not many respond, so few are chosen. 2. There is a call to fruitfulness. A general call to fruitfulness. John 15:16, John 6:44 That is a call to everyone to be fruitful 3. Some people are called in a spectacular way. Acts 9:3-6 Spectacular calling of Paul. 4. Some people are called in an ordinary way. 1 Kings 19:11 5. Some people are called through their desires 1 Tim 3:1 ...if a man desires the office of a bishop. Phil 2:13 ...God worketh in us both to will and do ...

We have been called to proclaim the gospel, not to explain it. Do not allow what you percieve as lack of knowledge to keep you from being a witness.

1. You need to lead people that God has already touched. John 6:44, Acts 8:26-39 - Openness that people have toward your message. - Questions people may be asking. Things someone must be made to understand: 1. Help person to understand that God loves him and has a plan for his life. Many people interpret the conviction of the Holy Spirit as condemnation. John 3:16-17 2. Man is sinful and separated from God. Isa 59:1-2, Rom 3:23, 6:23a 3. Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sins. Rom 5:8, Rom 6:23b 4. We must indivdually receive Christ in our heart in order to benefit from His salvation. John 1:11-12 5. How do I know that Christ is in my life? Rev 3:20, 1 John 5:11-13 John 20:30-31, John 21:35 Things God has presented in Scripture are what is needed for our salvation, not to answer every question on earth.

2 Cor 5:17 John 3:3-6 Chrisitanity is more of a relationship than a religion. Religions are man's effort, therefore comprise of  things to do to be acceptable to God. What do you do with the inner man? 1 Peter 2:1-2 Feed the spirit that is born again with the word of God. Not prayer, fasting etc. They are good but you  need food to grow. 1 Cor 9:24-27 - keep the body under subjection. Your flesh is strong and will convey you wherever it wills unless you keep it under control. Rom 12:1-2 - Present your body ( have control of it to direct it unto sacrificial uses for the LORD). -Be transformed by renewing of your mind.