Hilltop International Christian Centre: 2019

NEED A FRESH OIL

Scripture: Psalms 92:1-15

“I have found David my servant; with my holy oil
have I anointed him” Psalms 89:20 (KJV)

There are various emblem used in the word of God to describe the Holy Spirit, I am focusing on the Holy Spirit as the “oil” This is the part of Holy Spirit that depicts motion. When there is oil in a machine, the motion is easy. Some of us have oil but it is stale, some people’s oil has lost its viscosity.

David said my horn shall be exalted like a unicorn, and I shall be anointed with fresh oil. Some of us used to be active doing the things of God but now we are not, so we need fresh oil. God used to tell you things in your dream, but now it is not so. You were a notorious giver, and prayer warrior; but all these are things of the past. You need fresh oil from above to fire you up.

You have to ask the Holy Spirit for the out pouring of the anointing upon you, to energize you again for his work. When the oil touched David, he became another man. He will do the same for you today in Jesus name and your situation shall never remain the same.

REMEMBER TO ATTEND: Leadership/Communion Service tomorrow, 5:30PM.

PRAYER: I ask for the out pouring of fresh oil upon me o Lord in Jesus name.

FAITH BYTE: I am different from who I used to be because a fresh anointing is now on me.

THE HOLY SPIRIT BROODS UPON ME

Scripture: John 16:5-15

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that
I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to
you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7 (NKJV)

The word of God comes into physical manifestation when Holy Ghost broods upon it. Until there is overshadowing of the Holy Ghost the word of God do not manifest. That word of God will take on life and become flesh, means it manifests physically every time the word is released. When the word comes in contact with the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost lights upon it, else it remains mere letter for the written code (law) which kills but the spirit gives life (John 6:63). Even in creation, the Holy Ghost was on the scene, he couldn’t do anything until the word came. They operate together.

Prophecies have gone out on your behalf and it looks as if its not working, there is someone who brings it to pass, that is the Holy Ghost, so you need to have a deep fellowship with the Holy Ghost so that there will be fruitfulness of the prophecies. The angel of the Lord told Mary, the Spirit of God shall come upon you; you shall conceive and bring forth a son. The Holy Ghost energizes the word and brings it to physical manifestation. Stay on that word with the anointing of the Holy Ghost, and see the mighty manifestation of His power in your life, family and business in Jesus name.

PRAYER: Oh God I receive your word and the out pouring of your anointing for a total turn around in Jesus name.

FAITH BYTE: I stay on the word of God even as I fellowship with the Holy Ghost.

FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST

Scripture: Matthew 3:13-17

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them,
because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world”
1 John 4:4 (NKJV)

Without the Holy Ghost, God would not allow Jesus to confront Satan in the wilderness. The Holy Ghost descended on Him like a dove. Some brethren are without the Holy Ghost. This is why many Christians are living in mediocrity - a powerless life - because the power to overcome is not at work in them.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

“That we hereafter be no more children, tossed to and fro,
and carried about with every wind of doctrine, the sleight of
men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive”
Ephesians 4:14 (KJV)

Feedback: Share how your visit and kindness to others made you feel.

Man has the natural tendency to hope that the next place would be better than the former, thereby operating on the principle of: “Let me try, it might work.” God had not called us to toil on the earth like people without the understanding of the principles of God.

Scripture: John 16:4-15

“But ye have an unction from the Holy one,
and ye know all things” 1 John 2:20 (KJV)

God is all knowing, He came to us through Christ and when He was leaving, He promised the believers that the Spirit of truth will come, and will guide us into all truth. Now the truth is not hidden to believers. The secret of knowing all things is to fellowship with the Holy Spirit of God. By the word of God, the Spirit of God teaches us all things.

Scripture: John 6:1-12

“There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves,
and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?” John 6:9 (KJV)

It is very easy to spot the obvious. For instance, if you need water you immediately look for the obvious source of water around you, a tap, a well, a river. Likewise, when you need help, you begin to look for rich friends and relatives to bail you out. Philip when presented with the problem of feeding 5000 men, immediately looked at the obvious solution, money to buy 5000 loaves of bread.

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

“According as it is written, God hath given them the
spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears
that they should not hear;) unto this day”. Rom.11:8(KJV)

Slumber is a condition of body and mind where your consciousness is temporarily suspended. Thus, spiritual slumber is a state where your spiritual senses are temporarily unresponsive to the Life of God. This picture is clear in the Scripture above; the spiritual eyes and ears though present, can’t pick up any information from the Lord.

Scripture: Acts 2:1-12

“He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself…”
1 Corinthians 4:14a (KJV)

Speaking in tongues was the first spiritual gift that the apostles manifested after the baptism of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost. This pattern continues throughout the book of Acts, speaking in tongues being the first and vital spiritual gift given to believers after the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The question is why is it so important?

Scripture: Acts 7:20-24

"And when he was full forty years old, it came
into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel." Act7:23(KJV)

Feedback: Share the joy of gratitude.

Sometimes the solution to your problem lies in your relationship with others. Have you ever been in a situation where you needed someone's help urgently? Maybe you were going through very tough and difficult times, feeling so lonely, or desperately in need to talk to someone.

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:1-11

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promises: that by these ye might....having escaped the
corruption that is in the world..."2Peter 1:4(KJV)

While i was studying in the University, I was also the pastor of the student fellowship with which I
identified. Once when I was visiting around the hostels to encourage the folks, one of our officers lay down with high fever from a malaria attack. Before praying for him, I asked him what scripture he was standing on for his healing, because he told me he was believing God for his healing.

Scripture: Proverbs 16:1-17

“The preparations of the heart in man and the
answer of the tongue is from the Lord”. Proverbs 16:1

The signs of a man whose heart is prepared can be seen in his ways – his conduct, attitude and actions. A prepared heart does not stay without spending time in God’s presence. He enjoys waiting on God in fellowship by praying and receiving instructions from God and His word.

Scripture: Job 31:35-40

“If I have eaten the fruits therefore without money….
Let thistles grow instead of wheat” Job 31:40(KJV)

Job did not even have all that we have today, The Bible, praise & worship and other technological inventions that help us. The Holy Spirit had not even come to live within man since Jesus had not yet died physically, yet Job lived without sin.

Scripture: Isaiah 8:16-21

“To the law and to the testimony…….(without) this word,
they have no light of dawn” Isaiah 8:20

Whatever leading or prophecy anybody claims to be having that does not agree with the written word is not of God. The written word is the litmus test for every supernatural sign. The new living translation of our text reads ‘‘check their predictions against my testimonies (the written word), says the LORD”.

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts: ……Isaiah 6:4

The prophet had a most splendid vision. He was granted the privilege of beholding the very throne of the most high and the sacred activities that excite Jehovah. The Seraphims - six winged angels that surround God’s throne. All they do is worship God by proclaiming his heavenly holiness and announce that the whole earth is full of his glory.

Scripture: Isaiah 5:1-7

“What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done it” Isaiah 5:4

God laments over Israel. He uses the picture of a vineyard, planted and cultivated by God to describe his people. An excellent figure is also used to devote the care and attention which God bestows on his people.

He fenced it to protect it. Gathered out the stones to make it easily cultivatable, Built a tower about it to watch and defend it, made a wine press to extract choice wine and thus give it economic value.

Scripture: Romans 5:1-11

“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and
experience, hope” Romans 5:3-4 (KJV)

Feedback: Ponder upon the beautiful things you know about you.

Has someone ever told you that it is possible to see goodness in terrible and hopeless situations? 1
Corinthians 10:13 states that in every temptation, there is a way of escape, in every adversity there are great opportunities.

Scripture: Exodus 12:29-30

“And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord…” Exodus 12:29a (NKJV)

Spiritual growth requires tests. Just as we have tests in everyday life in the form of aptitude tests, exams and so on, we also have tests in the realm of the spirit that we need to pass to move to our next level.

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12

“Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your
perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and
trials you are enduring”. 2 Thessalonians 1:4(NIV)

Christians are not immune from trials and persecutions. As believers, we should remember while still in this world; we will face trials and persecutions but as believers, we have a guarantee; Jesus will be with us through all of it as we depend on him continually.

Scripture: Exodus 2:11-25

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept;
line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: Isaiah 28: 10 (KJV)

Spiritual maturity is not automatic. You must pass through spiritual growth. Moses must have thought that he was matured enough to deliver Israel but God had to let him go through the process of growth for 40 years.

Scripture: Exodus 1:1-14

“Because you know that the testing of your faith develops
perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may
be mature and complete, not lacking anything……” James 1: 3-4 (NIV)

In the field of entomology, we are told that the butterfly larva develops into the pupa which develops or metamorphoses into the adult butterfly.

A young child once saw a butterfly larva evolved into a pupa and was not moving (he had seen it moving in the larva stage), he concluded that it was confined and decided to help the butterfly become an adult so he can fly away.

Scripture: Isaiah 43:1-17

“Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him
for my glory, I have formed him yea I have made him.” Isaiah 43:7 (KJV)

Feedback: Share the faithfulness of God over your life with others.

The moment you get born again, God gave you the ability to become the best that you can be. The bible teaches that though you are in the world, you are not of the world. Meaning you shouldn’t be subject to the circumstances of this world. In 1 Peter 2:9 the Bible says:

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-32

“Who hath believed our report?
And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?” Isaiah 53:1 (KJV)

The Scripture says when He had come into the ship the wind ceased. Immediately Jesus stepped into the ship, He stepped in with the anointing. Once the anointing enters the ship the contrary wind ceases. God brought you so that the anointing will enter into your boat He will cause that contrary wind to cease, whatever the wind is called.

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-32

“For without faith it is impossible to please Him…” Hebrew 11:6 (KJV)

In the book of Hebrews chapter 4 Verse 16 the bible says, “Come boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.” Do you have a need? There is grace to help, you can also obtain mercy; ‘sometimes you may say I can not pray as much as the other person does.’ But remember that there is something called the mercy of God; you can start from that point and begin to build on it.

Scripture: Genesis 37:1-11

“And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren:
and they hated him yet the more” Genesis 37:5 (KJV)

Even in the midst of confusion and commotion, God is still in control. Is it not amazing that Sarah was doing all the things she did in Abraham’s house and yet God was still in control. It was Sarah who caused all the trouble but God still told Abraham listen to her because He was still in control.

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-32

“And Jesus spoke to them at once.”Courage!” he said.”
It is I. don’t be afraid!” Mathew 14:27 (Good News)

When the Lord told the children of Israel to leave Egypt, He described to them the other side, He said it is a land that flows with milk and honey, the land that waters itself and it is a land of abundance, as a matter of fact a cluster of grape in that land was so robust that you needed two able bodied men to carry one of it on a pole. That is the more reason why the Devil wants to prevent you from stepping into that other side.

Scripture: Joshua 3:1-17

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 (KJV)

Anything that God asks you to do, know that He is ready to back you up and has already made provision for it. God will never give you an instruction and watch you fail in it. A lot of people receive instruction from God and yet ask God how possible it would be. God has a thousand ways to do whatever he tells you. If He has asked you to step in, don’t question Him that is a sign of unbelief. Obey Him immediately and take action.

Scripture: Daniel 3:19-30

“Then the king promoted Shedrack, Meshach
and Abednego in the province of Babylon” Daniel 3:30 (NKJV)

Life is all about risk. In fact, it is more risky when you don’t take a risk. I have realized that, people that make so much impact and progress in life are risk takers. Some people give flimsy excuses like “I am from a poor home so I can’t go to school; my family is cursed so I can’t make it in life.”These excuses will be detrimental to you.

Scripture: Isaiah 3:10-15

‘Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him:
for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.’ Isaiah 3:10{KJV}

Feedback: Ponder on how it feels to walk uprightly and morally before God.

A righteous person is one who fears God, departs from evil, walks according to the testimony of God and expects and prepares for a glorious immortality. For such a person, it shall be well in all circumstances of life – in prosperity, in adversity, in sickness, in health, in death, in judgment and through eternity.

Scripture: Job 2:1-10

“Then said his wife unto him, dost thou still retain
thine integrity? Curse God and die. Job 2:9 KJV

A major motivation for living a life of integrity no matter the situation or circumstances that surround you whether negative or positive is that you‘ll never die. God shows us through Job that retaining your integrity will guarantee your life. Unfortunately many do not understand this. The devil could not kill him because he maintained integrity.

Scripture: Job 1:1-12

“Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job?
He is the finest man in all the earth a man of complete integrity.
He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.” Job 1:8 NLT

I sat down one evening watching the news on TV as the citation of one of our politicians was being read, as a university was conferring on him an honorary doctor’s degree in science. Amongst other things said about this politician was that he was a man of integrity. The word integrity caught my attention as I picked up my “Queens English dictionary and thesaurus to confirm if the meaning of integrity as I knew was being used rightly in this context.

Scripture: Job 1:13-22

“All right, you may test him, the Lord said to Satan. Do whatever
you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him
physically so Satan left the presence of God. Job 1:12 NLT

God will always prove the integrity, the love and faithfulness of every believer. Unfortunately when test and trials come our way as believers we do not always see them as opportunities for lifting. God will never thrust our lives in the hands of the enemy. With the loss of his possessions, Job’s love for God was tested. Notice what God said (Job 1:12… do whatever you want with everything he possess, but don’t harm him physically. We must learn not to disappoint God by been so attached to our Possessions.

Scripture: Job 13:20-28

“How many are mine iniquities and sins?
Make me to know my transgressions and my sin. Job 13:23

From the day his woe befell him, Job sought to know why he had become a victim of such a series of violent misfortune in spite of his piety. He subjected himself to vicious self examination but could find no personal sin. So after accusations by his friends Job was forced to ask ‘How many are mine iniquities, transgressions and sins’? What is the cause of these vicious attacks?

Scripture: Luke 7:1-10 (KJV)

“Then Jesus went with them…..” Luke 7:6 (KJV)

A Centurion whose servant was sick and ready to die hearing that Jesus was in the city, sent the elders of the Jews to call Jesus to heal his servant. The elders met Jesus and strongly persuaded Him to follow them in order to heal the boy.

Scripture: Acts 2:1-4

“I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all;” 1 Corinthians 14:18 (KJV)

It is an established belief that God is a God of order. He puts first things first and will not allow things that matter the most to be at the mercy of those which matter the least. In addition, when beginning a project, the first things that are done are usually foundational in nature. They are critical for the success of the project. Trouble looms when first things are left to be done last.

Scripture: Job 31:1-15

“There is no peace saith my God to the wicked”. Isaiah 57:21(KJV)

Feedback: Measure your level of confidence after obeying God’s word.

God himself called Job a perfect man. In our text today we see yet another reason for his unusual exaltation and the cause of the terrible spiritual conflict between the forces of light and darkness over his life. Job made a covenant not to look with lust upon a girl, he was conscious of the fact that God knows all our secret thoughts, words and actions.

Scripture: Jobs 31:16-34

“…But godliness is profitable unto all things… meditate upon
these things…. That thy profiting may appear to all” I Tim 4: 8-15(KJV)

Living for God is profitable – it pays off in this life and in the life to come. When you live a life of service to God and man in true devotion to God, He will shower you with blessings both now and forever.

Scripture: Job 27:1-13

“My righteousness I hold fast and I will not let go” Job 27:6 (KJV)

The toughest test of integrity is adversity. It is easy to confess righteousness but the real test of whether your righteousness has root comes when unrighteousness presents temptations of the most intense sort. Job was a classic example of such an attack. From his statement in Job 27:6, we can glean why Job passed the tests.

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

“So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep,
but let us be alert and self-controlled”. 1 Thessalonians 5:6(NIV)

We are told that the day of the lord will come unexpectedly. It is likened to the coming of a thief at
night. We should not be overly bothered about the exact timing of Jesus’ return but we should take Paul’s advice; be sober, be vigilant (and exhibit self control at all times).

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that
God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him”. I Thessalonians 4:14(NIV)

It is normal to mourn the passing away of a loved one. But where that loved one is a believer, we should mourn with the understanding that when Christ returns, all the faithful departed will rise from the dead and meet up with him (vs.16).

This Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith is our hope. His death and resurrection reconciled us back to God and he promised to return for us. Let us remain steadfast in the faith and be encouraged that someday we will be with our lord forever (vs.17).

When you grieve for the faithful departed, grieve with understanding for it is written ‘blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.....that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them’(Rev 14vs.13).

REMEMBER TO ATTEND: Leadership/Communion Service tomorrow, 5:30PM.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for your sacrifice that guarantees my eternity with you in glory.

FAITH BYTE: Because Jesus died and rose again for my redemption, I declare that nothing can separate me from God’s love and I wait faithfully for the marriage of the Lamb.

DO YOU SEEK TO PLEASE GOD?

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-10

“…. Our purpose is to please God, not people”. 1 Thessalonians 2:4(NLT)

When you have people under you or are leading a team, your expectation for these people is that they should be faithful to your vision for the organization i.e. they should obey instructions. When they obey, you are pleased with them.

Scripture: Psalms 37:1-10

“The house of the wicked shall be overthrown:
but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.” Proverbs 14:11 (KJV)

We find ourselves in a period of time where the quest for riches drives many into unimaginable and abominable actions. Satan is always available to lure many into the depths of wickedness with the promise of fame, wealth and power. Many die in the process and are lost forever, while others succeed and become affluent and a source of envy to both the righteous and the unrighteous.

Scripture: Proverbs 14:23-35

“In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children
shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain
of life, to depart from the snares of death”. Proverbs 14:26-27

Feedback: Ponder on how preaching the good news to others made you feel.

To fear the Lord is to reverence God and keep to His word in season and out of season (i.e. whether you feel like it or not, you must obey and do His word all the time). It is one powerful force that restrains us from sinning against God.

Scripture: Exodus 12:29-30 (KJV)

“And it came to pass that at midnight…”
Exodus 12:29 (KJV)

How does it feel to be freed from a problem that has held you bound for so long? How do you think Nelson Mandela or Olusegun Obasanjo felt after being freed? Not just were they freed, they were also made the number one citizen of their countries.

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life”.
1 Thessalonians 4:7(NIV)

All believers should strive to lead lives that are pleasing to God. We call God our father and God is holy, so if we call him father, we should aspire to be holy like him for we are a people who have been set apart for his pleasure. When we reject holy living we reject God himself (vs.8)

Scripture: Proverbs 3:13-35

“For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep
your feet from being snared”. Proverbs 3:26

In our Bible lesson today, the Holy Spirit, who authored the Bible (2tim 3:16) emphasizes the paramount value of wisdom and understanding above all other virtues. The one who finds wisdom and gets understanding will be happy; enjoy length of days, riches and honor. Also, the wisdom and understanding of God discovered and at work in your life will bring peace, direction and pleasantness to you.

Scripture: Proverbs 2:16-22

“Thus, you will walk in the way of good men
and keep to the paths of the righteous” Proverbs 2: 20

The advent of Pentecost brought much change as many people came to Christ in faith, and many repented with deep sorrow for their wicked ways, experiencing God’s forgiveness and power to live new lives. Many repenting of their previous apathy towards God became fervent in the Spirit. Church attendance grew, the society became transformed by the studying of the Bible, and parents taught their children the ways of the Lord.

Scripture: Proverbs 2:1-15

“And you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding
if you look for it as the silver and search for it as for hidden
treasure” Proverbs 2:3-4

In getting the wisdom that the book of proverbs talked about, you must be ready to exercise the diligence to search and search for it. This reminds me of the incidence of the kidnap of oil workers by some youths in our country due to youth unrest a while back. The kidnappers threatened to kill the workers if their company did not yield to their demands.

Scripture: Proverbs 1:20-33

“but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease,
without fear of harm” Proverbs 1:33 (NIV)

God is always calling on us his children to listen to Him, but sometimes the cares of this world blind us from seeing and hearing His voice. His foolishness is wiser than man’s knowledge; wisdom calls aloud in the street, raises her voice in the public square, cries out at the chief place of the noisy streets, and makes her speech in the gate way of the city. It would be of a great disadvantage to the believer to ignore that voice.

Scripture: Judges 2:6-15

“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this,
make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and
at peace with him”. 2 Peter 3:14 (NIV)

Feedback: Ponder on the result you got from releasing your faith.

Esau lost his birthright because he lacked the fortitude to endure the pains of hunger. King Saul lost the throne because he lacked the moral courage to obey God completely. He yielded to the lust of the eyes and of the flesh. David sinned with Bathsheba and eventually became a murderer because he yielded to momentary pleasure in disobedience to God.

Scripture: Judges 3:1-11

“They took their daughters in marriage and gave
their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.”
Judges 3:6 (NIV)

A man of God once said that any Christian who marries an unbeliever has made the devil his/her father in-law thereby bringing him/her under the perpetual influence of darkness. God commanded in Exodus 34:16 that His people should not go into marriage relationship with the gentile nations.

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