NEW BELIEVERS BIBLE STUDY

Introduction/The Books of the Bible

Chapter 1 - The Bible is the Word of God
Chapter 2 - God
Chapter 3 - Man and Satan
Chapter 4 - Jesus
Chapter 5 - The Cross
Chapter 6 - The Blood of
Christ Chapter 7 - The
Resurrection Chapter 8 -
Repentance Chapter 9 - Faith
Chapter 10 - Grace
Chapter 11 -Water Baptism
Chapter 12 - The Holy Spirit
Chapter 13 - Temptation
Chapter 14 - Fellowship
Chapter 15 -Generosity
Chapter 16 - Kingdom
Living Chapter 17 - Worship
Chapter 18 - Prayer
Chapter 19 - Heaven
Chapter 20 - When Jesus Returns – the Second Coming
Chapter 21 - Call of God

What the Bible Teaches

Chapter 1
The Bible Is The Word Of God
A. GOD’S SPECIAL BOOK
The Word of God – the Holy Bible – is God’s special book. It is not like other books, but
is a supernatural book. It was written by many different people, who wrote by the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, See 2 Timothy 3:16.
The Bible is the world’s best seller. It consistently outsells any other book.
The Bible has been translated into more languages than any other book in the world. It
was originally written in three languages – Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. The Bible you
have has been translated by dedicated people so that you can have God’s words, thoughts
and plans.
The Bible is also one of the oldest books in the world. The most ancient portions of the
Bible date back almost 4,000 years. Yet it is still the most modern book in the world
today; for in it we find the answers to life’s greatest questions:
 “Where did I come from?”
  “Why am I here?”
 “Where will I Go?”
Even though the Bible is made up of 66 smaller books, it has only one central theme:
God’s loving plan to rescue mankind.
At the front of the Bible you will find a list of the 66 books that can be found
in the Bible.
The Bible is divided into two sections:
 The Old Testament and
 The New Testament.
`The Old Testament tells us about God’s work with His people before the birth of Jesus.
The New Testament tells us about Jesus’ birth, His life, His great ministry of healing and
forgiveness for sick and sinful people, His death on the cross, His being raised from the
dead and His ascension (going back to Heaven).
It also tells us about the continuation of His healing, forgiving ministry through
those who saw Him after His resurrection. Those who follow Jesus’ teaching do many
miraculous works just as He said they would. See John 14:12.
The teaching of those who saw Him after He was raised from the dead is
contained in the Epistles (Letters). These were written within the first fi fty years after
Jesus’ resurrection. These make up about half of the New Testament.
B. STUDY THE BIBLE
The most important relationship you can have in this life is with God. Through
reading the Bible you come to understand what God is like – His thoughts, His plans, and
His promises for you.
The list (index) in the front of the Bible will help you find the page number of the
part of the Bible you may wish to study.
To help you find specific parts of the Bible, the translators organized the text into:
 Books,
 Chapters within the Books, and
 Verses within the Chapters.
For example, if you see a reference like “Genesis 3:15”, this would mean
 The Book of Genesis.
 Chapter three, and
 Verse fifteen.
C. HERE IS THE WORLD’S GREATEST PROMISE
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” John 3:16
D. THE PURPOSE OF THE WORD OF GOD
“… the holy Scriptures… Are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in
Christ Jesus. All Scripture God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness” 2Timothy 3:15-16
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness
through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through
these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you
might partake of the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil
desires” 2Peter 1:3-4
E. THE WORD OF GOD PRODUCES LIFE
 “The words I have spoken unto you are spirit and they are life” John 6:63
1. It Is Creative
“By the WORD OF THE LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by
the breath of his mouth … For he spoke and it came to be; He commanded, and it
stood firm” Psalms 33:6,9
See also Hebrews 11:3.
F. THE WORD OF GOD IS LIKE WATER
1. It Cleanses
We start life in the Kingdom of God totally “washed clean” by the Word of God.
“You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you” John 15:3
See also Ephesians 5:25-27.
2. It Keeps Us Clean
The Word of God, planted in our hearts, keeps us free from sin.
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word … I
have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” Psalms 119:9,11
G. THE WORD OF GOD IS LIGHT FOR OUR LIVES.
“And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do
well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and
the morning star rises in you hearts” 2Peter 1:19
1. It Gives Understanding In A Dark World
“… The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes” Psalms 19:8
“ Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path … The entrance of your
word gives light; it gives understanding to the simple” Psalms 119:105,130
H. THE WORD OF GOD IS SPIRITUAL FOOD.
“Jesus answered, It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every
word that comes from the mouth of God’” Matthew 4:4
1. It Causes Spiritual Growth
“Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly – mere infants
in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it… ”
1Corinthians 3:1,2
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up
in your salvation” 1Peter 2:2
God’s aim for each of us is expressed in Ephesians 4:12-15:
“… that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith
and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ.”
I. THE WORD OF GOD IS SEED.
In Luke 8:14-15, Jesus told His disciples the parable of the sower.
In verse 11 He said: “The seed is the word of God.” God’s will for our lives is
fruitfulness, Psalms 1:3.
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply
and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness”
2Corinthians 9:10
J. THE WORD OF GOD IS LIKE A SWORD.
“Take… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” Ephesians 6:17 See
also Hebrews 4:12.
 Note that Jesus used the word “sword” against Satan in His temptation in the
wilderness, Luke 4:1-14, giving us an example of how we can use the Word of God in
our own times of temptation.
K. THE WORD OF GOD HELPS US PRAY.
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be
given you” John 15.7
‘Ask whatever you wish’ literally means to ‘ask as one who has the right – with
authority (to command).
Now the creative word is in OUR MOUTH!
L. THE WORD OF GOD IS STRONG IN US.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them in to practice
is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams
rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it had
it’s foundations on the rock” Matthew 7:24,25 See also verses 26,27.
Jesus said that the wise man who built his house on the rock was a picture of
those who hear His Word and obey it. The Word of God builds ‘inner concrete’ within
our lives so that no matter what may come against us we will stand strong.

Chapter 2
God
God is far too great for us to fully understand. He has no beginning and He has no
end. There is no place where His presence is not felt. The Bible asks in Job 11:7: “Can
you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?”
God lives in Heaven and He rules over the whole earth. The Bible tells us: “this
is what the Lord says: ‘Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool...’” Isaiah 66:1
“God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne” Psalms 47:8
In this study we are going to be looking at special truths about God. These are
facts about God’s unchanging character. Through these you will understand more of what
God is like. You will come to understand God and how He cares for you personally.
A. WHAT IS GOD LIKE?
1. God Is The Creator Of Everything
“You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, and all their starry host, the
earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything,
and the multitudes of heaven worship you” Nehemiah 9:6
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mothers womb”
Psalms 139:13
2. God Is All-Powerful
“… For who hath resisted His will? Hath not the potter power over the clay… ?”
Romans 9:19-21
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and
the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all” 1Chronicles 29:11
 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or
imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” Ephesians 3:20
3. God Is All-Knowing
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and
laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” Hebrews 4:13
“… God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” 1John 3:20
4. God Is Holy
“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no
Rock like our God” 1Samuel 2:2
5. God Is A Spirit
“God is a Spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” John
4:24
6. God Is A Person You Can Know
“Come near to God, and he will come near to you… ” James 4:8
“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” Psalms
145:18
7. God Is A Loving Father
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be
called children of God! And that is what we are… ! 1John 3:1
B. GOD IS TOO GREAT TO LIVE IN TEMPLES
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and
earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands,
as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything
else… ’For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets
have said, ‘We are his offspring’” Acts17:24,25,28
C. WE ARE
1. Created By God
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are
wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made
in the secret place.
“When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my
unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one
of them came to be” Psalms 139:14-16
2. Owned By God
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in
you, whom you received from God? You are not your own: you were bought with a
price. Therefore honour God with your body”
1Corinthians 6:19,20
3. Called To Worship God
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power,
for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their
being” Revelation 4:11
D. MAKE A DECISION.
Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind” Matthew 22:37
 The Bible tells us about a man called Joshua. He was a great leader of the
Nation of Israel.
The people had been wandering for forty years in the wilderness, without a
land of their own. Joshua, under God’s direction, led them in victory against the evil
nations living in Canaan, and possessed their land for the homeless nation of Israel.
Joshua challenged all the people to make a decision:
“ … choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your
forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you
are living. BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSEHOLD, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD”
Joshua 24:15
The same challenge comes to each of us. Will you make the same commitment
as Joshua this day?
MY COMMITMENT
This day I give my worship to the only true God of heaven and earth, and
surrender my will, my life and possessions to Him. From this day I determine
never to worship any other gods. My worship is for Him only, and I will teach
others the truths about God.

A FINAL WORD
Remember the law of multiplying the Kingdom of God. It is your turn to teach
someone else about God and teach them to teach another person. Just share what you
know.

Chapter 3
Man And Satan
A. MAN – THE IMAGE OF GOD – MADE TO HAVE DOMINION
God had a very real reason for creating man (male and female). He had a
wonderful plan and purpose for them. Because God is Love, He desired to have beings
of like-mind and like-heart with whom He could share His life … all that He is and all
He is involved with … who would rule the heavens and the earth with him like sons. So
He created man – in His own image.
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them
rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the
earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created man in
his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them”
Genesis 1:26-27
B. LUCIFER
God created many wonderful things before He created the heavens and the earth.
Among them were the angels – spirit beings whose purpose is to fulfil God’s will. Angels
worship God and serve Him continually. Revelation 5:11-14.
However, Lucifer, one of the great leading angels, rebelled against God. He
wanted the position and authority of God. He wanted to rule all creation from above
God’s throne in heaven.
 When Lucifer rebelled, God cast him out of Heaven. At the same time, one-third
of the angels joined in his rebellion and were cast out with Lucifer. Revelation 12:4.
“How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star [Lucifer], son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth, you who once lid low the nations! “You said in
your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I
will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred
mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most
High’” Isaiah 14:12-14
Lucifer was cast to the earth, where he is known as ‘Satan’ or ‘The Devil.’
Separated from the glory of the Creator God, he lost the beauty and light he once had,
Ezekiel 28:11-17 and became evil and full of
darkness.
The angels who fell with him also lost their glory and became evil spirits, in
God’s newly created world. But Satan’s evil ambition did not change and so he set
about with another plan to try and usurp (unlawfully take) God’s Throne … he went
after the man God had created.
C. THE TEMPTATION
God gave His first man and woman (Adam and Eve) authority over all the earth,
and told them keep it under His dominion.
To keep them safe from Satan and his evil spirits, God planted two special trees in
the garden where Adam and Eve lived. God called the “The Tree of Life” and “The Tree
of the Knowledge of Good and Evil”
See Genesis 2:9, 17.
The Tree of life represented the Life and authority of God Himself – so in eating
its fruit, Adam and Eve would be filled more and more with God’s strength and love
and glory.
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil represented Satan’s life and
authority, and as long as Adam and Eve did not eat its fruit they were safe from the evil
spirits which filled the earth. The dominion of the whole creation would always be
theirs if the obeyed their loving Creator God. Hebrews 2:8.
“ The Lord God took man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and
take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘“You are free to eat from any
tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
for when you eat of it you will surely die’”
Genesis 2:15-17
However, Satan deceived Eve. He told her the Tree of the Knowledge of Good
and Evil wasn’t really bad – rather it would make them like gods. She believed the lie
and ate the fruit of the tree. Adam, although he knew it was a lie, also ate of the tree.
1Timothy 2:14.
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing
to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also
gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” Genesis 3:6
D. THE RESULT
Through that one act of sin, man lost the glory of God, fellowship with God and
the dominion over the Creation. Satan then took the throne vacated by Adam and Eve and
exercised his dominion over the earth, and death filled the world. Hebrews 2:14-15.
 “… sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this
way death came to all men, because [in Adam] all sinned… ” Romans 5:12
All the generations following Adam and Eve have inherited their fallen nature.
All have come under the power and dominion of Satan.
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to
live when you followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air,
the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among
them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires
and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath” Ephesians 2:1-3
People’s hearts, everywhere, are now filled with:
1. Idolatry
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave their
thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of God
for images made to look like mortal man and bird and animals and reptiles” Romans
1:21- 23
2. Immo rality
“Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual
impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of
God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator – who
is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even
their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men
also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one
another.
Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due
penalty for their perversion” Romans 1:24-27
3. All Kinds Of Wickedness
“Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of
God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They
have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are
full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters,
insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;
they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous
decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these
very things, but also approve of those who practice them” Romans 1:28-32
E. GOD’S GREAT PLAN TO RESTORE
God did not give up man because of sin. No! Instead, He put into action another
great plan – the plan to save mankind from Satan’s power and to restore him to His
original plan of being His sons and sharing His throne. He began to prepare the world for
the coming of the Saviour – Jesus.
“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” 1Corinthians
15:22 The New Testament records the story of Christ, the One Who would come to save
us from our sins.

What The New Testament Teaches

Chapter 4
Jesus
A. JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD
Two thousand years ago a man appeared on the scene of history. He was born into
the world and grew up into manhood just like every other person, but this man was
different to anyone else. He was no ordinary man.
A virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit to bring Him to birth. He was God, Himself,
coming to earth in human form. He was the “Son of God” Luke 1:26-35
“In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God and the
Word was God … The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen
his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace
and truth” John 1:1, 14
B. JESUS CAME TO THE WORLD FOR A SPECIAL PURPOSE
1. To Rescue Mankind From Satan’s Power
“For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” Luke 19:10 See also
Colossians 1:13.
2. To Give His Life As A Ransom To Buy Us Back
“… the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as
a ransom for many” Matthew 20:28
3. To Destroy The Works Of Satan In Our Lives
“He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been
sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the
devil’s work” 1John 3:8
4. To Give Us Eternal Life
“… and this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have
life” 1John 5:11,12 See also John 3:16,17 and John 10:10.
5. To Give Us New Birth Into The Family Of God
“Yet all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the
right (power) to become the children of God – children born not of natural descent,
nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” John 1:12 See also
1John 3:1,2.
6. To Restore Our Fellowship With God The Father
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have
fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ”
1John 1:3
C. JESUS CAME TO SHOW US WHAT GOD IS LIKE
“If you really knew me [Jesus], you would know my Father as well. From now
on, you do know him and have seen … Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘show us the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and
that the Father is in me? The words that I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the
Father, living in me, who is doing the work. Believe me when I say I am in the Father
and the Father is in me … ” John 14:7-11 See also John 1:18.
1. He Showed Us God’s Love
 “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son in to
the world that we might live through him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that
he loved us and sent his Son as atoning sacrifice for our sins” 1 John 4:9,10 See also
Romans 5:8.
2. He Showed Us God’s Power
a. He healed the sick, the lame and the blind
“News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were
ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, the
epileptics and the paralytics, and he healed them” Matthew 4:24 See also John 9:1-7.
b. He cast out Evil Spirits
“And Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many
demons, but would no let them speak because they knew who he was” Mark 1:34 See
also Mark 5:1-17.
c. He performed miracles
“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was
nearly swamped … Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet be still!’
The wind died down and it was completely calm … His disciples were terrified and asked
each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey him!’” Mark 4:37-41 See also
John 6:1-21.
d. He raised the dead
“… Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out,
his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said
to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go’” John 11:43-44
D. JESUS SHARED OUR SUFFERINGS IN HIS LIFE
During His life on earth Jesus experienced all the troubles of life that we face,
and so understands how we feel. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to
sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way,
just as we are – yet was without sin” Hebrews 4:15 See also Matthew 8:17.
E. JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS FOR US
Wicked men took the Lord Jesus and executed him by nailing Him to a
wooden cross like a common criminal. He could have saved Himself, but He did not,
for it was through His death on the cross that God was going to save the world. Jesus
died for us! Read Mark 15:16-39.
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins
and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” 1Peter 2;24 See also
Isaiah 53:5-6.
F. JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD FOR US
After three days in the tomb God raised His Son from the dead! Read Matthew 28.
This was for us!
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive
with Christ… God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms
in Christ Jesus… ” Ephesians 2:4-6 See also Romans 6:4.
G. JESUS OPENED THE DOOR OF HEAVEN FOR US
When His work on the earth was completed, Jesus returned to Heaven to be with
God His Father. But this, too, was for us… for He opened the way to God’s presence
for us, where we can live now and forever!
 “ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by
the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is,
his body… Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith… ”
Hebrews 10:19-22 See also John 14:1-3.

MY COMMITMENT
Today I acknowledge that Jesus is the son of God and that He came into the
world to meet my great need of a Saviour. I will also tell others that He came to the
world for them.

Chapter 5
The Cross
When Jesus was put to death by being nailed to a wooden cross, wicked men
thought they were just executing a man who was disturbing their way of life. They did
not realize that the cross was planned by God from the beginning of the world.
A. GOD DEALS WITH ALL SIN
Through His Son’s death on the Cross, the great Creator, God was dealing with
every person’s sin, suffering and sorrow. Jesus was dying in the place of every
individual in the world. Receiving personally what He has done on the Cross brings the
answer to all our needs.
1. God Reveals His Power Through The Cross
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to
us who are being saved it is the power of God” 1Corinthians 1:18 See also Romans
1:16.
2. God Shows His Love On The Cross
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8
3. God Removed Our Sorrows On The Cross
“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered
him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted” Isaiah 53:4
4. Jesus Took The Punishment For Our Sins On The Cross
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed …
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us turned to his own way; and the Lord has
laid on him the iniquity of us all”
Isaiah 53:5,6 See also 1Peter 2:24.
B. NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH THE CROSS
Because God is so holy and righteous, sin separates us from Him. No one with sin
in their hearts is able to be in His presence.
So, not only by dying on the Cross did Jesus suffer for our sins in our place; but
also He made it possible for us to know God personally and to experience the love, peace
and joy which fellowship with Him brings.
1. We Become Acceptable To God Through The Cross
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might
become the righteousness of God” 2Corinthians 5:21
 2. We Receive Forgiveness Through The Cross
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into
the Kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of
sins” Colossians 1:13-14
See also 1John 2:1-2.
3. We Become Members Of God’s Family Through The Cross
“Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same
family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them, brothers. He says, ‘I will declare your name
to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praise’” Hebrews
2:11-12 See also John 1:12.
C. FREEDOM THROUGH THE CROSS
Jesus’ death on the Cross was a great victory for us. Because God dealt with our
sin on the Cross, it means also that all the misery and suffering which is a result of sin
was also dealt with.
The Cross has won great freedom for us!
1. Freedom From Satan
“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle
of them, triumphing over them by the Cross” Colossians 2:15 See also Colossians 1:13.
2. Freedom From Past Sins
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” John 8:36 See also
Colossians 2:13
3. Freedom From Present Sins
“For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under
grace”
Romans 6:14
4. Freedom From Sickness
“This was to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our
infirmities and carried our sicknesses’” Matthew 8:17 See also 1 Peter 2:24.
5. Freedom From The Curse Of The Law
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it
is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree’” Galatians 3:13 See also
Deuteronomy 28:15-68.
6. Freedom From The Judgement
“Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.
But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the
sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement”
Hebrews 9:26,27
7. Freedom From Everlasting Death
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16
D. LOVE AND JUSTICE MEET AT THE CROSS
The Cross is the place where the love of God and the righteous judgement of God
meet. His righteous judgment demanded the death penalty for sin – the shedding of blood.
His love met His own demands and Jesus, the Son of God, died in our place.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified (made just as if I’d never sinned) by
his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when
we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how
much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this
so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now
received reconciliation” Romans 5:8-11
E. THE CROSS IS THE CENTRE OF HISTORY
The Cross of Jesus Christ is the centre point of mankind’s existence on earth.
From the moment the first man and woman sinned, see Genesis 3, it was pre-planned by
God that Jesus would die on the Cross.
From that time on, people looked forward in faith to what God promised He
would do on the Cross to save them. Today we look back and, by believing in what Jesus
has done for us on the Cross, receive forgiveness and new life.

MY COMMITMENT
Today I put my whole trust in what God was doing for me when Jesus died
on the Cross. I believe He took the punishment for my sin. I receive the forgiveness
that God is offering to me. And I thank Him for the relationship this now gives me
with Him. I make a decision today that I will live each day in this personal
relationship with God and commit myself to share this truth with others.

Chapter 6
The Blood Of Christ
The shedding of Jesus Christ’s blood on the Cross was a factor in order for us
to receive forgiveness for our sins and acceptance into the presence of God.
“… without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” Hebrews 9:22
A. LIFE IS IN THE BLOOD
“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make
atonement for yourselves … it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” Leviticus
7:11
When we sin, we earn death. “The wages of sin is death” Romans 6:23 Jesus
paid this penalty for us by shedding His blood (dying for us – in our place).
Atonement (at-one-ment) means to be made AT ONE with God. Jesus gave his
life (shed his blood) on the Cross for our AT-ONE-MENT (atonement). This made it
possible for us to be AT-ONE with God. Jesus’ blood means we are no longer His
enemy but His friend, His sons and daughters. By faith we accept what He did for us.
B. WHAT SIN DOES TO OUR LIFE
1. Separates Us From God
“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden
his face from you, so that He will not hear” Isaiah 59:2
2. Makes Us Feel Guilty
“My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear” Psalms 38:4
3. Allows Satan Access To Us
“… the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before God day and
night… Revelation 12:10
 4. Demands The Death Penalty
“… the soul who sins is the one who will die” Ezekiel 18:4
C. THE BLOOD IS FOR GOD
The blood of Christ wholly satisfies God’s law – which requires a penalty for
breaking the law.
1 John 3:4 says “Sin is breaking the law.”
The blood protects us from the penalty of breaking the law (death).
In Exodus 12, God commands the people of Israel to put the blood of a lamb on
their door-posts to protect them from the destroyer – who would kill all the firstborn.
This lamb was a picture of the Lamb – Jesus- Who would come later. God said,
“… when I see the blood, I will pass over [protect] you… ” verse 13.
1. Fellowship Is Restored
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more
shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him” Romans 5:8,9
2. We Are Redeemed (Purchased Back From Slavery To Sin)
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” Ephesians 1:7
D. THE BLOOD IS FOR MAN
The Blood has satisfied God; now it is to satisfy us in the cleansing of our
conscience from guilt.
1. The Blood Cleanses From Guilt
“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our conscience from acts that lead to
death, so that we may serve the living God!” Hebrews 9:14
2. The Blood Sanctifies Us
“And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy
through his own blood” Hebrews 13:12
3. The Blood Brings Us Close To God
“… and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth
or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you
were alienated from God and enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. But
now he has reconciled you.."
Colossians 1:20-22
4. The Blood Gives Boldness To Enter God’s Presence
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by
the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is,
the body… Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies
washed with pure water” Hebrews 10:19-22
5. The Blood Perfects Us In The Sight Of God
“… because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are
being made holy” Hebrews 10:14
E. THE BLOOD IS FOR THE DEVIL
 Satan’s most strategic acti vity in this age is as the accuser of the brethren
(Revelation 12:10) and it is as this that the Lord confronts him in His special ministry as
High Priest through His own blood. Hebrews 9:11-14.
1. The Blood Puts God On Man’s Side Against The Devil
“… If God is for us, who can be against us? ...Who will bring any charge against
those whom God has chosen? Shall God who justifies? Who is he that condemns? Will
Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – and is at the right
hand of God and is also interceding [praying] for us?” Romans 8:31,33,34
The devil has no ground for accusation against those who have received the
work of Christ’s shed blood for them.
2. The Blood Dissolves All Satan’s Legal Rights Of Ownership Over Us
“… in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness [remission] of sins” Colossians
1:14
‘Redemption’ means to ‘buy back.’ We are under new ownership, and the price
that was paid for us was the shed blood of Jesus.
“… the church of God, which he bought with his own blood” Acts20:28 See also
1Corinthians 6:19-20 and 1Timothy 2:6.
F. WHAT THE BLOOD OF CHRIST HAS BROUGHT US
1. Purity Of Heart
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with
one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin” 1John 1:7
2. Eternal Life
“Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of
Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks
my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” John 6:53-54
3. Approach To God
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought
near through the blood of Christ” Ephesians 2:13

MY COMMITMENT
I now understand what the shed blood of Jesus means to God, to Satan and
to me. I make my commitment to share with others the truth concerning the blood
of Christ. I will remind myself often of the covenant God has with me, to forgive my
sin and cleanse me from sin and protect me from Satan’s harm.

Chapter 7
The Resurrection
After His death on the Cross, Jesus lay in the grave for three days. Matthew 12:40.
Then God raised His Son from the dead! Read Matthew 28.
“… and who through the Spirit of Holiness was declared with power to be the
Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 1:4
A. GOD RAISED YOU UP TOGETHER WITH CHRIST
Jesus’ death was for you. So was His resurrection!
 “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to
live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air
… But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with
Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in
Christ Jesus” Ephesians 2:1-6 See also Colossians 3:1-3
1. To Give You New Life
“… God… has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we
have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ
Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing
of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and
immortality to light through the gospel” 2 Timothy 1:9-10
2. To Give You New Birth
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy
he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead… ” 1Peter 1:3
3. To Give You A New Beginning
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the
new has come” 2Corinthians 5:17
4. To Give You:
a. Victory over Satan. “You dear children, are from God and have overcome
the world, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world
[Satan] … for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has
overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God” 1John 4:4;5:4,5 See also Colossians
2:13-15.
b. Authority over Satan. After His resurrection, “… Jesus Christ … has gone
into heaven and is at God’s right hand – with angels, authorities and powers [this
includes Satan] in submission to him” 1Peter 3:21-22 See also Luke 10:17-19.
c. Power over Satan. “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be
enlightened in order that you may know … his incomparable great power for us who
believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ
when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly
realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be
given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come and God places all things
under his feet and appointed him to be the head over everything for the church, which is
his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way” Ephesians 1:18-23 See
also Mark 16:15-18, Acts 1:8 and 4:33.
5. To Make You A Son And Heir In God’s Kingdom
“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you
received the Spirit of Sonship. And by him we cry ‘Abba Father.’ The Spirit himself
testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are
heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ… ” Romans 8:15-17
B. THE RESURRECTION MEETS EVERY NEED OF LIFE
1. It Is Your Deliverance From The PAST
 Your old sinful life was put to death on the Cross with Jesus, and buried with
Him in the grave. Then, when Jesus was raised to life again, you were raised with Him as
a new creation – leaving behind your old life in Jesus’ grave!
“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that,
just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live
a new life… the death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to
God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”
Romans 6:4-11 See also Ephesians 2:1-7 and Colossians 2:12-15.
2. It Is Your Power For The PRESENT
Because Jesus is ALIVE we have now received the power of the Holy Spirit to
live a life of victory over sin and all Satan’s attacks against us.
“What then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against
us? He did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also,
along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against whom
God has chosen? Shall God who justifies? Who is he that condemns? Will Christ Jesus
who died – more than that, who was raised to life – who is at the right hand of God and
is also interceding for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble
or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No in all these
things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us… ” Romans 8:31-39
3. It Is Your Hope For The FUTURE
The resurrection of Jesus gives us great hope for the future. He is called “the
firstborn from the dead” Colossians 1:18. In His resurrection, he was opening the way
for all those who would believe in him to follow after Him – to also be raised from the
dead!
One wonderful day in the future, Jesus Christ will return to the earth again – not
as a baby this time, but revealing to the whole world Who He really is – the glorious God
and Ruler of all Creation. At that time all those who have died, believing in Him, will be
raised to life again!
“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then
those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only in this life we have hope in
Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the
dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep for since death came through a man,
the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in
Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when
he comes, those who belong to him” 1Corinthians 15:17-23 See also 1Corinthians 15;50-
57 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

MY COMMITMENT
Because of the resurrection of Christ, I make a commitment today to receive
the fullness of my new life and liberation in Him. I will stand fast in this truth and
share it with everyone I can.

Chapter 8
Repentance
 Repentance is the first step we take to receive the salvation that God offers to us
in the Lord Jesus Christ.
“‘… God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ When
the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles,
‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter re plied, ‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven’” Acts 2:36-38 See also
Acts 17:30.
A. WHAT REPENTANCE IS NOT
1. Not Just Feeling Guilty
Feeling guilty about our sins comes before repentance, but is not repentance itself.
No one repents unless they first feel guilty about their sin, but not all who feel
guilty actually repent.
“As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgement to
come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I
find it convenient, I will send for you’” Acts 24:25 Felix felt guilty but did not repent.
2. Not Just Being Sorry For Your Sin
Some people are very sorry because of the consequences of their sin, or because
they have been caught. Many people are sorry, not for what they have done wrong, but
for the penalty they receive in being caught.
“Godly sorrow leads to repentance that brings salvation and leaves no regret,
but worldly sorrow brings death.” 2Corinthians 7:10
3. Not Just Trying To Be A Good Person
Many people try in their own strength to become a better person and change their
way of life. Any self-effort has a root of self-righteousness in it, which does not
acknowledge the need of repentance from sin.
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are
like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us
away” Isaiah 64:6
4. Not Becoming Religious
The Pharisees in the Bible were extremely religious in behaviour and practice.
They fasted and prayed and had many religious ceremonies, yet never repented.
“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was
baptizing, he said to them: You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming
wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not say to yourselves, ‘We have
Abraham as our father. ‘I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for
Abraham. The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not
produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire”
Matthew 3:7-10 See also Matthew 5:20.
5. Not Just Knowing The Truth
Having an intellectual head knowledge of truth does not necessarily
guarantee that the truth has become a living reality in one’s life. Believing with the
head and believing with the heart are different (see Romans 10:10).
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that –
and shudder. You foolish man, do you want further evidence that faith without
righteous deeds is useless/” James 2:19-20
B. WHAT TRUE REPENTANCE IS
 1. Being Sorry To God For Your Sin
True repentance is a sorrow not just toward one’s self, or toward another person,
but first and foremost it is true sorrow toward God.
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your
great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me
from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against
you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight… ” Psalms 51:1-4 See
also Psalms 38:8.
2. Being Truthful About Your Sin
“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said ‘I
will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ – and you forgave the guilt of my sin”
Psalms 32:5 See also 1John1:9.
3. Turning Away From Your Sin
“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whosoever confesses
and renounces them finds mercy” Proverbs 28:13
4. Hating Sin
“Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore … God has anointed
thee … Hebrews 1:9
5. When Possible, Paying Back To Others What You Owe
“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give
half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will
pay back four times the amount’” Luke 19:8 See also Leviticus 6:1-7.
C. WHAT REPENTANCE INVOLVES
1. Turning From Sin
“Don’t be like your fathers were! The earlier prophets pled in vain with them to
turn from all their evil ways. ‘Come, return to me,’ the Lord God said. But no, they
wouldn’t listen; they paid no attention at all” Zechariah 1:4. See also Galatians 5:19-21
and Ephesians 5:5.
2. Turning From The World
“Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love
these things you show that you do not really love God” 1John 2:15. See also James
4:4.
3. Turning From Yourself
“He died for all so that all who live – having received eternal life from him –
might live no longer for themselves, to please themselves, but to spend their lives
pleasing Christ who died and rose again for them” 2Corinthians 5:15. See also Luke
14:26.
4. Turning From The Devil
“… to open their eyes to their true condition so that they may repent and live in
the light of God instead of in Satan’s darkness … ” Acts 26:18. See also Colossians
1:13.
5. Turning To God
“Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return unto
me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty”
Zechariah 1:3
6. Turning To Right Living
“Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but
rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life,
and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness” Romans 6:13
 MY COMMITMENT
Today I decide to repent and will keep turning from sin as God re veals
wrong doing to me.

Chapter 9
Faith
Faith has always been the mark of a disciple of Jesus. The early disciples were
known as BELIEVERS. Jesus said: “… Everything is possible for him who believes”
Mark 9:23
Faith means total dependence on God. When Adam sinned, he stepped out of
God-dependence into in-dependence (which is unbelief). This is the reason God has
placed such a high priority on faith. Faith is the way we come back into relationship
with God (God-dependence).
This dependence on God is called faith. Faith advances you beyond your five
senses of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching. Faith releases you from your
limited capacities. By faith you move from in-ability to His-ability.
This is the walk of faith to which all of us are called – where “nothing
is impossible” Matthew 17:20.
A. WHAT IS FAITH
Faith is obedient action in response to what God has said. True faith is expressed
in 1) Obedience and 2) Action, in response to 3) Hearing God’s Word (voice).
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1.
Faith means having trust, assurance or confidence in another person or that
person’s words. Having faith in God involves an exchange of self-trust for God-trust. We
stop trusting in ourselves and trust Him. We abandon reliance on our limited source of
knowledge and start receiving from His unlimited source.
B. TWO KINDS OF KNOWLEDGE
“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but
with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on MEN’S
WISDOM, but on God’s power. We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the
mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to
nothing. No, we speak of God’s SECRET WISDOM, a wisdom that has been hidden and
that God destined for our glory before time began” 1Corinthians 2:2-7 See also verses 8-
16.
1. Sense Knowledge
All knowledge that comes to natural man comes to him through the five senses –
seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching. This is limited knowledge, described as
‘man’s wisdom.’
2. Revelation Knowledge
This knowledge is not based on the five senses, nor on natural reasoning but on an
alternative source – the TRUTH of the Word of God. It is received through man’s spirit,
and is described as ‘God’s Wisdom’ – “We live by faith, not by sight” 2Corinthians 5:7
C. THE BASIS OF FAITH
The basis of having faith in God is in three important realities:
1. The Nature Of God
“When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater
for him to swear by, he swore by himself.” Hebrews 6:13
a. He cannot change. “I the Lord do not change… ” Malachi 3:6 See also James
1:17.
b. He cannot fail. “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be
thwarted” Job 42:2 See also 1Chronicles 28:20.
c. He cannot lie. “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that
he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not
fulfil?” Numbers 23:19
See also Titus 1:2.
2. The Redemptive Work Of The Son Of God
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the
joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God”
Hebrews 12:2
Christ has become the source of our faith in God. The fact of His death and
resurrection provides ground for our believing.
“… Christ Jesus… has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our
righteousness, holiness and redemption” 1Corinthians 1:30 See also Romans 5:1-2.
3. The Word Of God
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” Matthew
24:35 See also Isaiah 40:8.
“The Lord said to me, ‘… I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled’”
Jeremiah 1:12
His Word stands true forever. Faith comes when God brings a specific word –
out of all He has ever said – directly to us in our circumstances. Spoken in this way, the
Word of God comes alive to us, releasing our faith.
D. HOW FAITH WORKS
The principle of faith, Romans 3:27 is to operate in our lives continually, no
matter what the circumstances, see 2Corinthians 5:7, James 1:5-60. It works in the
following way:
1. God Gives Us Faith
“For in the Gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that
is by faith from the first to the last, just as it is written: ‘”The righteous will live by
[HIS] faith’” Romans 1:17 See also Habakkuk 2:4 NIV.
The righteous live by HIS faith that is, the faith HE gives us as a gift.
“For by grace are you saved through faith, it is the gift of God … ” Ephesians
2:8- 9 “… according as God has dealt to every man … faith” Romans 12:3
2. Faith Comes By A Word From God
Firstly, God encourages us by speaking a “word” relevant to our circumstances.
This comes by the Holy Spirit speaking inside your spirit as you read the Bible or
listen to preaching or teaching of the Word of God.
 “… faith comes from hearing the word, and is heard through the word of Christ”
Romans 10:17 See also Genesis15:3-5; 17:15-21; Joshua 1:8.
3. Obedience To The Word
For faith to operate in our situation, we must obey that word. Faith is ACTIVE,
not passive. Most of God’s promises are conditional – He will do His part, if we do
our part.
“… faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” James 2:17 See
James 1:22-25; Genesis15:6; Matthew 7:24-27.
4. The Crisis Or “Trial Of Our Faith”
This is a period of testing. Everything happening around us appears contrary to
what God has said, and there seems to be no natural evidence for our believing. At
this point, out faith rests completely on God’s Word (what He has spoken to us).
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to
suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth
than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and
may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed” 1Peter 1:6-7 See
also Romans 4:16-21; Psalms 105:17-19.
In faith we cast ourselves on HIS FAITHFULNESS. In our times of doubt and
struggle, God is faithful and does not abandon us.
“If we believe not, he abides faithful. He cannot deny himself” 2Timothy 2:13
He was faithful to Thomas and Peter when their faith was tested. Jesus didn’t
abandon them. “He will never leave us nor forsake us” Hebrews 13:5
5. The Result
The end result is always victory on the part of the believer, bringing glory to God.
See also James 1:2-4, 12; Genesis 21:1-3; Psalms 105:19-22; Acts 3:16; Hebrews 6:13-15.
“… for everyone born of God has overcome the world. This is the victory that
has overcome the world, even our faith” 1John 5:4

MY COMMITMENT
Today I decide to live by faith and trust God in all areas of my life. I
acknowledge my need to be totally dependant on God – which is faith in action.
In problems, challenges and difficulties I will rely on His faithfulness. God’s
response will be His grace – His enabling power. I will teach others also to rely
on God’s faithfulness and walk with faith in God.

Chapter 10
Grace
“With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus, and MUCH GRACE was with them all” Acts4:33
“From Attilia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been COMMITTED
TO THE GRACE OF GOD for the work they had now completed” Acts 14:26
Why was the grace of God so important in the experience of the early Christians?
Why did the church in Antioch pray the GRACE of God would be upon Paul and
Barnabas, and later on Paul and Silas, as they set out on their missionary journeys?
A. THE MEANING OF GRACE
The most common understanding of the word “grace” is “God’s unmerited
favour” – in other words, even though we were sinners, deserving judgment, God looked
upon us in love and forgave us.
This, however, is only half its meaning. It also means “God’s enabling power.”
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by
his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and
strengthen you in every good deed and word” 2Thessalonians 2:16-17
Not only does His grace make us accepted in the family of God, but it also
provides the power we need to live the Christian life. Two scriptures indicate the two
aspects of God’s grace in every believer.
1. God’s Unmerited Favour
“For it is by grace [God’s unmerited favour] you have been saved, through
faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one
can boast” Ephesians 2:8-9
2. God’s Enabling Power.
“… In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in
accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace [enabling
power], which he has freely given us in the one he loves” Ephesians 1:4-6 Read the
whole chapter, which describes all that we have received by grace (by his enabling
power).
In salvation, not only is God’s unmerited favour expressed (in that we receive
forgiveness and restored relationship with Him even though we don’t deserve it), but so
also is God’s enabling power – for it is by HIS power that we can and are being
transformed.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the
new has come!” 2Corinthians 5:17
This principle of grace continues throughout our walk with God. In every area of
our Christian lives, it is God’s grace that causes us to grow and be strong – God’s
enabling power given to us without any merit on our part.
“… grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ… ” 2
Peter 3:18
B. GRACE GIVEN TO THE HEROES OF FAITH
This operating force of grace is revealed in the lives of men and women
throughout the whole Bible. Every hero of faith bega n his walk with God aware of his
own weakness and inability.
It was only through him allowing God’s grace – His enabling power – to work
in his life that he was able to become the kind of person that God wanted him to be, and
to fulfil the plan and purpose God had for his life.
C. GRACE IN THE LIFE OF MOSES
Read Exodus 3:11-13: 4:1-13. The command the Lord gave Moses was no small
task. Egypt was the ruling empire of the day. It was an evil nation, and Pharaoh, its
satanic leader, held authority that was claimed to be divine. Every nation in the known
world lived in fear of Pharaoh.
 When God told Moses to go down to Egypt and tell Pharaoh to let His three
million people go free from slavery, Moses’ immediate response – out of his own
weakness and inability – was as follows;
3:11 “Who am I?”
3:13 “Who are you?”
4:1 “They won’t believe me!”
4:10 “I’m not eloquent!”
4:13 “Lord, send someone else!”
But with God’s grace, Moses did go down to Egypt , and with signs and
wonders brought the people of Israel out as God had told him to.
D. GRACE IN LIFE OF GIDEON
Read Judges 6:1-24. The call of God came to Gideon to deliver His (God’s)
people from the conquering armies of Midian. Israel had known only defeat for many
years. Gideon’s response to God’s word in verse 13 reveals his initial unbelief: “But sir,
Gideon replied, ‘If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all
his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, Did not the Lord bring us up
out of Egypt? But now the Lord has abandoned us into the hand of Midian.’”
Even when the Lord encouraged him and promised to be with him, Gideon
answered: “How can I save Israel? I’m the smallest member of the smallest family in our
tribe!” see verse 15.
But despite his fear and inability, with God’s grace (enabling power) Gideon
saved Israel. And he did it with just a small band of men. It was GRACE that made
the difference!
E. GRACE IN THE LIFE OF THE APOSTLE PAUL
Read Acts 15:40. Before Paul and Silas set out on their missionary journey
together, the church at Antioch prayed for them and “commended [them] … to the
grace of the Lord” for the work that was ahead of them.
Read Paul’s description of his experiences in 2 Corinthians 11:22-33. It is
understandable that he was first commended to the grace of God!
He needed it to survive! The Lord’s answer to Paul’s confession of weakness i s
His promise for us too: “… My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect
in weakness… ” 2Corinthians 12:9
F. GRACE RELEASED IN OUR LIVES
In our relationship with God – as we walk with Him each day – we constantly
meet situations that would try to overwhelm us. Our response to God is to trust His
Word. We express our trust through obedience.
This proves we believe what God’s Word says despite what the
circumstances might indicate. God’s response to our faith is His grace – His enabling
power, which causes us to triumph in every situation.
G. TWO IMPORTANT PROMISES
1. We Have Bold Access To The Throne Of Grace
“Let us then approach the THRONE OF GRACE with confidence, so that we
may receive mercy and FI ND GRACE (His enabling power) TO HELP US IN OUR
TIME OF NEED” Hebrews 4:16
2. God is Able
 “And God is able to male ALL grace ABOUND to you, so that in ALL things
at ALL times, having ALL that you need, you will ABOUND in EVERY good work”
2Corinthians 9:8

MY COMMITMENT
Today I decide to receive God’s grace – His enabling power – into every
area and problem that arises in my life, and teach others to do the same also.

Chapter 11
Water Baptism
Jesus commanded all those who believed in Him to be baptized in water. "Then
Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… '" Matthew 28:18,19 See also Acts 2:38-
41.
To be "baptized" means to be "totally immersed." When a person repents from
his sin and believes Jesus died for him, before many witnesses, he (or she) is to be taken
to water, put right under it and brought up again. Why would Jesus command that his
believers do such a strange thing?
A. UNDERSTANDING WATER BAPTISM
Understanding what water baptism is all about is the ke y to a victorious
and liberated Christian life.
The act of going under the water and rising up from it again is a picture
demonstrating what has happened to the Christian believer.
B. FOUR STAGES OF CHRIST'S WORK PICTURED
1. He Died … .. I Died In Him.
"For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of
sin might be
rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who
has died has
been freed from sin" Romans 6:6-7
2. He Was Buried … .. I Was Buried With Him.
"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his
death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death … " Romans
6:3- 4
3. He Was Raised … .. I Have A New Life In Him
"… in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of
the Father, we
too may live a new life. If we have been united with him in his death, we will certainly
also be
united with him in his resurrection" Romans 6:4-5
4. He Ascended … .. I Ascended In Him
"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly
realms in Christ
 Jesus … " Ephesians 2:6 See also Colossians 3:1
C. WATER BAPTISM IS …
1. Your Fune ral Service!
A burial service is not to kill a man off. It is only performed when the man is
dead already.
And so, because you have "died" in Christ, you bury your old life in water baptism.
2. Your Resurrection To New Life!
You rise out of the water demonstrating and declaring you are a new creation
in Christ!
"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that
since
Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery
over him.
"The death he died, he died to sin once and for all; but the life he lives, he lives
to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ
Jesus" Romans 6:8-11
D. THE TWO KINGDOMS
"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into
the kingdom of
the Son he loves" Colossians 1:12
Every man and woman born into the world is born into the Kingdom of
Darkness; born slaves of the
dictator Satan. There is no way out of this kingdom except by DEATH, and there is no
way into the Kingdom
of God except by BIRTH. And so Jesus became both our death and new birth - and this
we declare in water
baptism!
E. THE TWO RACES
As there are two kingdoms, so within each kingdom is a different race of
people. The Adamic Race
populates the Kingdom of Darkness, and the New Creation populates the Kingdom
of God.
1. The First Adam
"For as in Adam all die… " 1 Corinthians 15:22 See also Romans 5:12. Adam
was the father of us
all, the entire human race. Adam's sin alienated us all from God. Because of his sin, we
all inherited his
rebellious and diseased nature and became subject to death. Adam's offspring are called
"the Adamic Race".
2. The Last Adam
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for
the ungodly"
Romans 5:6 There was no way God could change the fallen Adamic Race. He had to put
an end to that race
and begin a whole new race of humanity. Jesus was the Last Adam. He came as the
lastborn of the Adamic
Race and the firstborn of a new race. As He hung upon the Cross, He hung there as the
Last Adam - the
lastborn of the Adamic Race. When He died on the Cross, the Adamic Race and the
Adamic sinful nature died.
God put to death the fallen creation in Him. The Adamic Race died in Christ.
3. The Second Man
"… so in Christ all will be made alive" 1 Corinthians 15:22 Jesus came as God's
new Man,
through which a new race would be created. Jesus was raised from the dead - not as the
Last Adam
but as the Second Man, the Head of the New Creation. "So it is written. 'The first man
Adam
became a living soul'; the last Adam, (Christ) a life-giving spirit… The first man was of
the dust of
the earth, the second man from heaven. "As was the earthly man, so are those who are
of the earth;
and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we
have borne the
likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven"
1Cornthians 15:45-49
4. The New Creation
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the
new has
come!" 2Corinthians 5:17 See also Ephesians 2:10
In water baptism we declare to all our friends and acquaintances that we are no
longer part of Adam's
race and the Kingdom of Darkness. We are a New Creation in Christ, belonging to the
Kingdom of God!

MY COMMITMENT
Through this study I now realise that my old life with its sin and judgment
has been put to death in Jesus' death, and now because of Jesus' resurrection I have
a whole new life to live. Because this is what water baptism pictures, I make this
commitment to be baptized in water and to share this truth with others.

Chapter 12
The Holy Spirit
After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples for 40 days. Then,
when they were all gathered together with Him on the top of a high hill, He was taken up
into Heaven before their eyes, read Acts 1:1-11. However, before He left, Jesus gave His
believers a very special and wonderful promise: "… I will ask the Father, and he will
give you another Counsellor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth… I tell you the
truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not
come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." John 14:16-18; 16: 5-7
 Jesus has not left us alone in the world. He has sent the Holy Spirit.
A. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD
The very first thing we must understand about the Holy Spirit is that He is indeed
God.
"Then Peter said, 'Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have
lied TO THE HOLY SPIRIT… You have not lied to men BUT TO GOD' ". Acts 5:3,4 See
also 2 Corinthians 3:17.
God has chosen to express Himself to mankind as Father, as Son and as Holy Spirit.
These are the expression of three distinct Persons (Personalities), yet the three are one.
B. THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is God's gift to every believer. When a person believes in Jesus,
and receives the salvation He offers, the Holy Spirit comes to live in the believer,
imparting spiritual life. "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the
name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for
all whom the Lord our God will call' ". Acts 2:38,39 See also John 7:37-39.
C. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. In The Believer's Personal Life
The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within the believer to minister to him personally:
a. He Testifies of Our Relationship With God. "The Spirit himself testifies
with our spirit
that we are God's children" Romans 8:16 See also 1 John 3:24.
b. He Teaches. "But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will
send in my
name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" John
14:26
c. He Guides. "… because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons
of God"
Romans 8:14
d. He Helps Us Live A Life Pleasing to God. "So I say, live by the Spirit,
and you will not
gratify the desires of the sinful nature". Galatians 5:16 See also verses 17-25.
e. He Helps Us in Prayer. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our
weakness. We do
not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans
that words
cannot express". Romans 8:26
f. He Gives Life To Our Bodies. "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus
from the dead
is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your
mortal bodies through
His Spirit, who lives in you" Romans 8:11
2. In The Believer For Service
As well as giving the Holy Spirit to dwell in the believer, God also wants to fill
and baptize
the believer with the Holy Spirit to empower him to serve and glorify God in the world.
 a. The Holy Spirit Gives Power And Boldness To Witness. " But you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" . Acts 1:8 See
also Acts 2:14-40.
b. He Introduces The Supernatural Realm. "There are different kinds of
gifts, but the
same Spirit… To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another
the message of
knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to
another gifts of
healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to
another the
ability to distinguish between spirits, to another the ability to speak in different kinds
of tongues,
and to still another the interpretation of tongues" 1Corinthians 12:4,8-10 See also Acts
2:4; 10:46; 19:6.
c. He Testifies That Jesus Is Alive. "The God of our fathers raised Jesus
from the dead…
We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to
those who obey
him" Acts 5:30-32 See also Acts 4:31-33.
d. He Brings a Fresh Understanding of The word Of God. "… as it is
written: 'No eye
has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those
who love him'
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep
things of
God" 1Corinthians 2:9,10 See also John 16:13.
e. He Fills Our Spi rit With True Worship To God. "… be filled with the Spirit,
speak to
one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart
to the
Lord" Ephesians 5:8,19 See also John 4:24.
f. He Glorifies Jesus. "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide
you into all
truth. He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what he hears, and he will
tell you what is yet to
come. he will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known
to you. All that
belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine
and make it
known to you" John 16:13-15 See also John 15:26.
D. HOW TO BE BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.
God wants His Holy Spirit, who indwells you because you are a believer in Jesus,
to fill you
to overflowing with power to serve Him. Ephesians 5:18
 1. It Is A Gift Promised By God, So Ask For It "… how much more will your
Father in heaven
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:13 See also verses 9-12.
2. Begin to Praise God As You Receive In Faith "Then they worshiped him ,and
returned to
Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God" Luke
24:52,53
3. You Can Speak With A Supernatural Language "… the Holy Spirit came
on them, and they
spoke in tongues… "Acts 19:6 See also Mark 16:17; Acts 2:4; 10:45, 46; 1 Corinthians
14:5, 18.

MY COMMITMENT
I thank God for the Gift of the Holy Spirit in my life. I make a decision today
to
respond to the Holy Spirit's prompting and directing. I determine to learn to listen
for the
voice of the Holy Spirit in my heart. I choose to be filled with the Spirit. I now open
my spirit
to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Chapter 13
Temptation
A. SATAN ATTACKS
Satan attacks the individual Christian mostly through temptation. And he focuses this
assault in two spheres:
1. The Desires Of The World
He will seek to tempt a believer to become absorbed into the world's system: to
make the material
blessings that the world offers a central desire; to make the honour and recognition of this
world an important
goal; and to make the comfort of being one with those of this world our basis for security.
2. The Desires Of The Flesh
Through Christ's work on the Cross, the true Christian is delivered from the results
of sin, and from the
power of sin. Romans 6:6-14. But he still lives in a physical body that is subject to
natural appetites and
desires. Satan will use these to try and get a Christian to place greater importance upon
them than upon the
promptings of the Holy Spirit within him. Romans 8:5-9 See also James 1:14; Ephesians
2:3
B. SATAN'S ORIGINAL VICTORY
It was in the areas of the world and the flesh that Satan won his original victory
in the temptation of the first man and woman, and these are still his tactics today.
"For all that is in the world, the LUST OF THE FLESH (craving for sensual
gratification), and the LUST OF THE EYES (greedy longings of the mind) and the
PRIDE OF LIFE (assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things)
- these do not come from the Father but are from the world (itself)" 1John 2:16
Amplified Bible
Compare Eve's Temptation With This Verse:
Genesis 3:6 1 John
2:16
Good FOR FOOD "Lust of the flesh"
Pleasing TO THE EYE "Lust of the eyes"
Desirable for GAINING WISDOM "Pride of life"
Since the fall of Adam and Eve, all mankind has been governed by their flesh (the
three things outlined above).
The flesh is also corrupted by a sinful nature. Galatians 5:19-21
C. VICTORY WON BY CHRIST
1. Through His Life
Jesus was tempted in everything, exactly as we are, "yet was
without sin" Hebrews 4:15
Compare Jesus' Temptation With This Verse:
Luke 4: 1-13 1 John 2:16
Stones to bread "Lust of the flesh"
Kingdoms of the earth "Lust of the eyes"
Pinnacle of the temple "Pride of life"
2. Through His Death And Resurrection
Faith that appropriates (claims, receives) Christ's work releases the Christian from
the power
and dominion that sin had over him. Romans 8:9
He is now free to choose to walk in obedience to God. Romans 6:8-14. "For what
the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by
sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man… in order that the righteous
requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful
nature (flesh) but according to the Spirit" Romans 8:3,4
D. THE CHRISTIAN'S CONTINUAL VICTORY
Based on the foundation of this great victory won for us by Christ, the
Christian can now defeat any attack from the enemy. Here are seven keys to continual
victory:
1. Know The Victory Is Already Won
Because of his defeat at the Cross, the devil's only strength now is found in
the Christian's Ignorance.
Hosea 4:6. But when a Christian knows the complete work of the Cross and Resurrection
in his life, the devil is
stripped of any weapon against him.
2. Walk In Step With The Spirit
A new power is placed within the Christian - the Holy Spirit Himself. We are to
walk in obedience to
His inner promptings day by day. Galatians 5:22-25
3. Recognize Temptation For What It Is
 Temptation is NOT sin. YIELDING to temptation is! James 1:15 See Genesis
4:6,7
4. Understanding there Is A Way Of Escape Provided
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is
faithful. He will
not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also
provide a
way out so that you can stand up under it" 1Corinthians 10:13 James 4:7 details the way
of escape: Submit
to God, resist the devil and he shall flee!
5. Keep The Right Focus In Life
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things
above, where Christ is
seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things"
Colossians 3:1,2
See also Philippians 4:8; 1Timothy 6:11,121; 2 Peter 3:11-13.
6. Keep Away From Obvious Areas of Temptation
"I will set before my eyes no vile thing" Psalms 101:3 See also 1 Timothy 6:9-11
7. Be Aware Of Satan's Schemes
It is important for us to know the tactics that the enemy uses against us so that we
are not
outwitted by him. 2 Corinthians 2:11
a. He is a liar John 8:44
b. He is a slanderer and accuser Revelation 12:10
c. He is a deceiver Revelation 12:9
d. He is a tempter Matthew 4:1-11
e. He is an oppressor Acts 10:38
f. He is a hinderer 1Thessalonians 2:18
g. He is as a roaring lion 1 Peter 5:8
h. He can transform himself into an angel of light 2 Corinthians 11:14
As Christians, we are called to live in VICTORY! Through Christ, this victory is ours:
Over The World 1John 5:4
Over The Flesh Galatians 5:16
Over The Enemy Ephesians 6:11,13

MY COMMITMENT
I thank God for His promise to deliver me during time of temptation. I
commit myself to respond to His help which is always available so that I can live
in victory. I will share this truth with others also.

Chapter 14
Fellowship
A. THE PURPOSE OF FELLOWSHIP
 The fellowship of Christians together is very important, for it is in our
unity together that...
1. The Believer Is Encouraged And Grows In Christ
"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make
you strong - that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's
faith" Romans 1:11,12
2. The World Comes To Know That Jesus Was Sent Of God
"I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are
one; I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know
that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" John 17:22,23
B. CONDITIONS OF FELLOWSHIP
1. A Basic Commitment To One Another
"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another
above yourselves"
Romans 12:10
Without a basic trust there can be no fellowship. The depth of fellowship will vary
according to the depth of commitment.
2. Our Commitment Must Be Based On 'Agape'
'Agape' is a one-way love, which loves 'in spite of' not 'because of.' Such a
commitment therefore will not be affected by the other person's inconsistent behaviour.
"A new commandment I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so
you must love one another" John 13:34
3. True Fellowship Is Christ-Centered
Our fellowship with one another is founded in our common commitment to Christ.
"...And our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son, Jesus Christ" 1John
1:3. See also Philippians 2:1,2
4. Walking In The Light
Our fellowship embraces the need to be open, honest and truthful with one
another. This at times may mean:
a. Confessing Our Own Sins to Others, Or lovingly Covering Another's
Sin. "If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not
live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with
one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin" 1 John 1:6,7. See
also Matthew 18:15
b. Obedience To The Light - general and specific commandments God has
given,
c. The Removal Of Any Masks Or False Coverings So much of the world's
fellowship is hypocritical - acting out a role, and is not genuine.
"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you
have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the hearts"
1Peter 1:22
5. A Genuine Interest In The Other's Well-Being
There should be no hidden motives of self-gain. Our desire should be to give, not
to get.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests,
but also to the interests of others" Philippians 2:3,4.
 6. A Willingness To Lay Down One's Life
"My command is this; Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has
no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends" John 15:12,13.
Life involves more than physical life. It also includes our material possessions,
our personal interests and preferences, etc. James 2:15,16. This also means a willingness
to openly share of one's self. We can only know people to the extent they are prepared to
reveal themselves.
C. FELLOWSHIP IN THE CHURCH MEANS...
1. Sharing All Things
There were three stages of development in their fellowship in Acts 4:32 -
firstly, they were of one heart (spirit), then they were of one soul (mind), and then
followed the physical expression of having all things in common.
"All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling
their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need" Acts 2:44,45.
2. Laying down Their Lives
"Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their
lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them"
Romans 16:3,4.
3. Devoted To Serving The Brethren
"You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia,
and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints..." 1Corinthians 16:15.
4. Being A Channel Of Supply To Others In Need
"At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their
plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality" 2Corinthians 8:14. See also
1Corinthians 16:17.
5. Sharing In Suffering
"Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles" Philippians 4:14.
6. Sacrificial Giving
"Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty
welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able,
and even beyond their ability" 2Corinthians 8:2,3.
7. Practicing Hospitality
"Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even
though they are strangers to you" 3John 5. See also Hebrews 13:2.
8. Building Up And Encouraging One Another
"We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only
the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us"
1Thessilonians 2:8. See also 2Timothy 3:10-14.
D. RESULTS OF FELLOWSHIP
The results of fellowship in the early Church were:
a. A fear of God Acts 2:43
b. Joy Acts 2:46
c. Favour with all people Acts 2:47
d. Addition of new believers Acts 2:47
e. All needs supplied Philippians 4:19
f. Emergence of leadership 1Corinthians 16:15,16
 MY COMMITMENT
Through this study I now understand the importance of having fellowship
continually with other Christians. Today I commit myself to being a part of a group
of believers to whom I will give my loyalty, my love and my service.

Chapter 15
Generosity
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his
hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge”
Psalms 19:1-2. Read also verses 3&4.
From this psalm, we learn that God’s Creation (the heavens and the earth)
a. Declare the glory of God
b. Proclaim the work of His hands
c. Pour forth speech
d. Display knowledge
We can learn from God’s Creation if we examine it careful ly. Just as there are
physical laws
which bring order out of chaos in the universe, God has also put into motion spiritual
laws which govern life.One of these is the Law of Generosity. This teaches us that
“whoever sows generously will also reap
generously” 2 Corinthians 9:6
A. PARTNERSHIP
As partners with God, 1Corinthians 3:9; 2Corinthians 5:20; 6:10, it is important
for us to understand where responsibilities lie:
1. Ownership Is With God
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it; the world, and all who live in it”
Psalms 24:1.
See also Psalms 89:11; Job 41:11; 1Chronicles 29:10-14.
We are not owners, but stewards. All ownership is with God. Every single
created thing, living or not, ultimately belongs to Him – including everything material
and immaterial that we may personally have in this life: possessions, careers or families.
He has given us all things for us to enjoy. 1Timothy 6:17 and when we
realize that they still belong to God, we can rest in the assurance that God also has
ultimate responsibility for them.
2. Stewardship Is With Us
We are not owners, but stewards. A steward manages and takes care of what
belongs to someone else. God owns everything; but as stewards, we manage and take
care of it for Him. We have an obligation to be faithful in this stewardship.
The Lord holds us accountable for the special responsibility of managing and
taking care of the things He has given us (read Matthew 25:14-30). When we
understand this Owner-steward relationship that we enjoy with God’s property, then it
becomes easy to give.
Before God, stewardship covers every single thing that belongs to us:
 a. Our Life. Acts 17:25; 1Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 2:20; Job 33:4
b. Our Time. Psalms 90:12; Ephesians 5:15-16; Colossians 4:5
c. Our Talents and Abilities. 1Peter 4:10; 1Corinthians 12:4-7,11
d. Our Possessions. Matthew 6:19-21; Colossians 3:1-2
e. Our Finances. 1Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19; Matthew 6:24
f. The Message of the Gospel. 1Corinthians 4:1; 9:16-17; 1Timothy 6:20
Even so, many Christians still struggle to give (or tithe), no matter how much they
may
want to. But the action that releases a believer into the full blessings of good stewardship
is SURRENDER – the unreserved submission of one’s entire life, possessions and plans
to Gods will and purpose.
It is only when we give OURSELVES that we learn what it means to give
some of the possessions (or money) God has given us.
B. GIVING IN THE EARLY CHURCH
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their
possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need … No one claimed that any
of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had” Acts 2:44-45 and
4:32
This basic attitude of the early Christians laid the foundation for every expression
of giving that was to come later.
As the number of Christians multiplied, different methods of giving appeared.
But all their giving expressed their understanding of STEWARDSHIP – that everything
ultimately belongs to God.
1. The Church Supported The Needy
In the early Church, special men were chosen to serve as deacons – helpers –
in the distribution of offerings and gifts for the widows and needy. See Acts 6:1-3.
These men made it their ministry to channel all the giving to where there was practical
need.
2. Churches Gave Sacrificially To One Another
When the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were in famine, the poor, suffering
Gentile church helped them.
“Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty
welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able,
and even beyond their ability”
2 Corinthians 8:2-3 See also verses 1,4.
3. The Church Supported Travelling Ministries
The apostle Paul travelled from place to place establishing new churches.
On some occasions he worked with his hands to provide his support. Acts 18:3;
2Thessalonians 3:7-9.
On other occasions the Philippian church showed the true spirit of giving which
God commends, by supporting travelling ministries such as Paul.
“I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I
have received … the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice,
pleasing to God” Philippians 4:18. Read also verses 15-17.
4. Christians Worked To Be Able To Give
“he who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work with his
own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” Ephesians
4:28
5. Giving Was The Proof Of Their Love
 “At this time, your plenty will supply what they need… Therefore show [by
giving]… the proof of your love … ” 2Corinthians 8:14, 24. See also verses 7-15; 1
Corinthians 16;1-2; 1John 3:17-18.
C. GOD’S PRINCIPLES OF GIVING
In 1Corinthians 10:11, we are told to learn from Israel’s example. We are told to
apply the principles given them by God. At the same time we are told to avoid the
mistakes Israel (and the leaders) made in the wilderness. In the area of giving, we find
some excellent guidelines that can help us in our giving:
1. God Expects Us To Begin With A Percentage
“’Bring the whole tithe (10%) into the storehouse, that there may be food in my
house. Test me in this, “says the Lord Almighty,’ and see if I will not throw open the
floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room
enough for it’” Malachi 3:10.
2. We Are To Give Systematically And Regularly
“Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the temple of the Lord, and
this was done. Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated
gifts..” 2Chronicles 31:11-12
3. We Are To Give The First And The Best To The Lord
“Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new
wine” Proverbs 3:9-10.

MY COMMITMENT
I realize, through this study, the importance of having a generous heart
and attitude toward others. Today I commit my self to begin a life of giving by
starting to tithe to the Lord’s work. I will also encourage and teach others to do
the same.
“But you are a chosen people, a people belonging to God, that you may
declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”
1Peter 2:9.

Chapter 16
Kingdom Living
A. CHANGE OF AUTHORITY
We have been delivered from Satan’s dominion (rulership or headship). We are
now under a whole new authority - that of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As a believer begins growing in his new life in the Lord, he soon discovers
that the only way we enjoy living in God’s Kingdom is in right RELATIONSHIP
WITH JESUS. Ephesians 1:17; Philippians 3:10.
At the very beginning of our new life with God, this relationship takes two
distinct forms:
1. Saviour
This is the very first relationship we can have with Jesus. We cannot know God as
Father or Friend until we first have had a revelation of Jesus as Saviour - the One Who
died for us and rescued us from Satan’s kingdom. Jesus has saved us from:
a. God’s Judgment 1Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9; Romans 5:9.
 b. Satan’s Power Acts 26:18; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 2:14; 1John 3:8.
c. Our Own Selves Philippians 3:19; 2Corinthians 5:15; Titus 3:3-6; 1Peter
1:18.
“Although he was a son … he became the source of eternal salvation for all who
obey him”
Hebrews 5:8-9. See also Hebrews 2:10; 2Timothy 1:10.
2. Lord
Knowing Jesus as Saviour brings us into God’s kingdom, but that is not where our
relationship with Him ends. Once we are inside His Kingdom, that relationship takes on
dramatic new changes. Now we know Him not merely as Saviour, but as Lord - OUR
Lord! He is KING in His Kingdom. Colossians 2:6.
“Therefore, I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God
says, ‘Jesus be cursed’; and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy
Spirit”
1Corinthians 12:3. See also John 13:13; Romans 1:4; 1Corinthians 8:6; 1Corinthians 4:5.
When we enter the Kingdom of Light, we can enjoy what we were created for - a
loving relationship with the Lord. Because of this, when Jesus becomes Lord of our life,
we find that His dominion in our lives brings us out of the chaos of sin into divine order
and peace. See Colossians 2:9-10; 1Corinthians 8:6.
B. THE MODEL CITIZEN
“Let your attitude toward life be that of Christ Jesus himself … ” Philippians
2:5. Jesus, though King of the Kingdom, became a servant. He is the example of what
the true citizen of His Kingdom is like.
“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that
I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s
feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” John 13:13-
15. Read also John 13:5-17; Matthew 20:26-28; Luke 22:27.
C. SUBJECTS OF THE KING
As members of Christ’s Kingdom, we enter into a Master-servant relationship
with Him Matthew 6:24.
Jesus came to do his Father’s will. Hebrews 10:5-9. In His day-to-day life, He
displayed what the lifestyle of the Kingdom is all about: living to please God.
Ephesians 5:8-10. We are to have this servant-heart, just as he had a servant’s heart.
Many Christians do not like the concept of being a servant because it seems to
make one person inferior to another. But in the Bible, we find four interesting paradoxes:
1. In Slavery, There Is Freedom
“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God,
the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life” Romans 6:22. Read
also verses 16-23; 12:1; 1Corinthians 7:22; 2Corinthians 7:22; 2Corinthians 3:17;
Ephesians
6:6-7; 1Peter 2:16.
2. In Being a Servant, There Is Greatness
“The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will
be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” Matthew 23:11-12. See also
20:26-27; Mark 9:35; 10:43;
John 12:26.
3. In Humility, There is Exaltation
 “Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven” Matthew 18:14. See also Luke 18:14; Proverbs 29:23; James 4:10;
1Peter
5:5-6; Matthew 19:30.
4. In Submission, There is Authority
The Roman Centurion (a military leader over 100 soldiers) who came to Jesus
understood this principle. “… I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you.
But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under
authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go’ and he goes; and that one
‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” Luke 7:7-8.
Because the centurion was under authority, he was able to exercise authority, and
readily submitted to Jesus’ authority. Read also verses 1-10; James 4:7.
The lifestyle of the kingdom of God is an attitude of SUBMISSION and
OBEDIENCE TO GOD. See Matthew 12:50; Ephesians 6:6; Hebrews 13:21; 1John
2:17; 1Thessalonians 4:1. We submit ourselves to God’s will - NOT reluctantly -
because of fear or duty - but rather:
a. Because Of All God Has Done For Us. Romans 12:1; Ephesians 4:1; Titus
3:4-7.
b. Because in Doing so We find Fulfilment. Psalms 40:8.
c. Because of Love. John 14:15; 1John 5:3.
D. FRUIT OF THE KINGDOM
“For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his children,
encouraging, comforting and urging you TO LIVE LIVES WORTHY OF GOD, who
calls you into His kingdom and glory” 1Thessalonians 2:11-12. See also
2Thessalonians 1:5.
In Matthew 21:43, Jesus said that the Kingdom would belong to those who
“produce its fruit.” The fruit of the Kingdom is explained in a number of scriptures:
 Love, Joy, Peace. Galatians 5:22-23.
 Goodness, Righteousness, Truth. Ephesians 5:9; James 3:13-17.
 Righteousness, Peace and Joy. Romans 14;17; Hebrews 12:1.
Since we were created by God, we were also made for His Kingdom and its
lifestyle.
The fruit of the Kingdom is simply the natural outworking of the miracle of the new birth
that the Holy Spirit has performed in us. See Galatians 5:22.
Our responsibility as citizens of God’s kingdom is to live like the people we now
are! 1Peter 2:11.
“We also pray that your outward lives, which men see, may bring credit to
your master’s name, and that you may bring joy to his heart” Colossians 1:10 Phillips
translation. See also Colossians 2:6; Ephesians 4:1; 6:8-10.

MY COMMITMENT
I realize, after studying about Kingdom living, that I am to submit my life to
the service of others, just as Jesus did. I commit myself to being a willing, joyful
servant of Christ and others.

Chapter 17
Worship
A. BLESSING OF GOD
“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name”
Psalms 103:1. It is awesome to consider that we have the ability to bless our Creator, but
time after time in the Scripture we are exhorted to do just that. We bless Him through
our praise and worship of Him. See Psalm 34:1-3.
B. PRAISE
Praise is an expression of admiration and appreciation. When we praise someone,
we tell them how wonderful we think they are, or how great their accomplishments are. It
is the same with the Lord. Praise has to do with acknowledging God’s character and
power.
“Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you
as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands” Psalms 63:3-4.
1. Why Do We Praise God?
a. Because Of Who He Is. “Sing praises to God, sing praises, sing praises
to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of
praise”. Psalms 47:6-7.
b. Because Of What he Does.
“Praise the Lord, o my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise
the Lord O
my soul, and forget not all his benefits. He forgives all my sins and heals all my
diseases; He redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion. He
satisfies my desires with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s”
Psalms 103:1- 5.
2. Who Is To Praise God?
a. Those Who Seek God. “… they who seek the Lord will praise him… ” Psalms
22:26.
b. Everything That Has Breath. “Let everything that has breath praise the
Lord. Praise
the Lord” Psalms 150:6.
3. When Do We Praise God?
a. At All Times “I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be
on my lips”
Psalms 34:1.
b. In Every Circumstance “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks
in all
circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1Thessalonians 5:16-18.
4. Where Are We To Praise God?
a. Surrounded By God’s People “He [Jesus] says, ‘I will declare your name to
my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises’” Hebrews 2:12.
b. Among The Nations “I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I
will sing of you
among the peoples” Psalms 57:9.
c. On Our Beds “I will praise you as long as I live… with singing lips my
mouth will
praise you; I think of you through the watches of the night” Psalms 63:4-6.
C. WORSHIP
Whereas praise is an expression of admiration and appreciation, worship is an
expression of love or adoration. It is possible to admire someone and appreciate what
they do without being in love with them. In the same way, worship has to do with our
love of the Lord. It can be expressed only with the giving of our whole heart and life to
Him.
“To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all
your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, is more important than all
burnt offerings and sacrifices” Mark 12:33.
The religious rituals and ceremonies of Israel in the Old Testament became
detestable to the Lord because their heart was far from Him. Isaiah 1:10-15; 29:13. Today,
also, God is only interested in the genuine and sincere worship that comes from the heart.
“Yet a time is coming, and has now come, when the true worshippers will
worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father
seeks. God is a spirit, and his worshippers MUST worship in SPIRIT and TRUTH” John
4:22-23.
Read also verses 4-26.
1. In Spirit
Our spirit is called the “inner man”. Ephesians 3:16. True worship takes place
when the inner man, in response to the prompti ngs of God’s Spirit, expresses love and
adoration to God. This can take the form of spoken words, a love song to the Lord, or
silent adoration.
True worship requires the action of the Holy Spirit on our spirit. So only those
who have been “born again of the Spirit” through faith in Jesus Christ can truly worship
God. John 3:5-8.
The lifestyle of a true worshipper of God is one of OBEDIENCE. Our obedience
is an active, practical expression of our love for God. Jesus said in John 14:15 “If you
love me, keep my commandments”. See also verses 21,23-24.
2. In Truth
To worship God in truth is to worship Him as the Bible says we should. Nadab
and Abihu (the sons of the high priest) offered strange fire before the Lord and died.
Numbers 3:4; 26:61. This sober warning illustrates the need to study God’s plan (the
Tabernacle of Moses) for priestly ministry.
There was a sacrifice, cleansing, anointing and clothing before worship. Exodus
30:17-38.
You will note in Revelation 1:5-6 that we are “… washed from our sins in his
own blood” before being made “… priests unto God.”
An apostle/teacher in the United States was training lots of leaders how to heal the
sick and perform miracles.
A prophetess said to him: “The Lord says to you, ‘How dare you teach those
who are unclean to do my works! Stop it!’”
There was much preparation of the priests before they could go into the Holy
Place to worship the Lord. To ignore the pattern was perilous. We must worship in truth
- in the Bible way.
D. EXPRESSIONS OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP IN SCRIPTURE
1. With The Mouth
 a. Singing. Psalms 9:2,11
b. Praising. Psalms 103:1
c. Shouting. Psalms 47:1
2. With The Hands
a. Lifting. Psalms 63:4
b. Clapping. Psalms 47:1
c. Musical instruments. Psalms 150
3. With The Body
a. Standing. Psalms 134:1
b. Kneeling, bowing. Psalms 95:6
c. Dancing and leaping for joy. Psalms 30:11
“Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you - majestic in
holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? … Sing to the Lord, for He is highly
exalted… ” Exodus 15:11, 21.
“Among the gods there is none like you, O lord … For you are great and do
marvellous deeds; you alone are God … I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my
heart; I will glorify your name forever” Psalms 86:8, 10 12.

MY COMMITMENT
The greatest thing I will ever do in this life or in eternity is to worship God.
I determine today to be a true worshipper and to make this my supreme goal in
life. I will teach others this vital way of life by my example.

Chapter 18
Prayer
“He will call upon me, and I will answer him… and show him my salvation”.
Psalms 91:15-16. The time we spend with the Lord in prayer can release the
most dynamic, history changing power the world has ever known.
The Bible describes many different operations of prayer, but in this lesson we are
going to look at prayer as an individual first. Our prayer as a Body together can only be
as strong as our personal time with the Lord.
A. THE SECRET PLACE
“But when you pray, go into your most private room, and closing the door, pray
to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you in
the open” Matthew 6:6
We have been invited into intimate prayer by none other than the Lord Himself.
This kind of “secret” prayer presupposes and ensures:
1. The Right Motives Matthew 6:5
2. A Right Relationship With God As Father Luke 11:11-13
3. A Real Trust In The Lord Psalms 55:16-17
4. A Dispensing Of False Fronts Mark 7:6-7
As we express our feelings and burdens in conversation with God, it can be in the
form of adoration, Psalms 34:1-4, confession 1 John 1:9, request Matthew 7:7, or
thanksgiving, Ephesians 5:4-20.
B. FIVE COMMANDS RELATED TO PRAYER
1. Watch And Pray Always
“Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is
about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” Luke 21:36.
See also Mark 13:335-37.
2. Pray Lest you Fall Into Temptation
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing,
but the body
is weak” Matthew 26:41.
3. Pray For Workers
“He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord
of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’” Luke 10:2.
4. Pray For Those In Authority
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving
be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we live peaceful and
quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” 1Timothy 2:1-2.
5. Pray For Your Enemies
“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” Luke 6:28.
C. WHEN TO PRAY
The Bible gives many examples of people who prayed, 1Chronicles 4:10. Many
of the heroes of faith can be observed to have had regular times of the day set aside
specifically for prayer, often three set periods a day - morning, noon and evening.
“As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and
morning, and noon, will I pray and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” Psalms
55:16-17. See also Daniel 6:10.
The best example of a daily pattern of regular, whole hearted prayer - prayer
that avoided meaningless religious ritual - can be found in the Lord Jesus Himself:
1. Early In The Morning Mark 1:35
2. All Night Luke 6:12
3. Before Each Meal Mark 6:41
D. WHAT TO PRAY
1. For Ourselves
“Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge
my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free
from pain.’ And God granted his request” 1Chronicles 4:10.
2. For One Another
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other… ” James
5:16.
3. For The Ministries In The Body Of Christ
“Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread
rapidly and be honoured, just as it was with you” 2Thessalonians 3:1.
4. For The Sick And Distraught
“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray… is any one of you sick? He
should call for the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in
the Name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well;
the
Lord will raise him up … pray for each other so that you may be healed… ” James
5:14- 16.
5. For Those Ensnared In Sin
“If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he
should pray and God will give him life… ” 1 John 5:16.
E. HELP IN PRAYER
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what
we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words
cannot express”. Romans 8:26
Part of the Holy Spirit’s purpose is to teach us, Luke 12:12, guide us in prayer
Romans 8:27, and to help us in our faith, Ephesians 3:16-17.
The Holy Spirit will sometimes anoint a believer’s prayer in a special way, and
this is called “praying in the Holy Spirit” Jude 20: Ephesians 6:18.
To help us in prayer, the Holy Spirit has also provided a special gift to the
believer: The Gift of Tongues - speaking in another language to the Lord in prayer. See 1
Corinthians 12:4-11.
“… the prayer of the upright is his delight… He hears the prayer of the righteous”
Proverbs 15:8,29.
F. YOKEFELLOW
Two joining together in prayer provides some very real advantages: “Again I
say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall
ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven” Matthew 18:19.
G. THE CHURCH PRAYING
If there is tremendous power when two people pray, what about the
whole assembly of God’s people? See Acts 4:24.
Today God is calling His people to prayer! The Church’s mission is to change
individual lives, families, communities, cities and nations through prayer!

MY COMMITMENT
Through this study I realize the wonderful opportunities of prayer - not
only in my relationship with God, but also the supernatural results that follow. I
commit myself to make prayer always a priority in my life.

Chapter 19
Heaven
“… God is in heaven and you are on earth… Therefore stand in awe of God”
Ecclesiastes 5:2,7.
A. WHAT IS HEAVEN?
1. Heaven Is The Dwelling Place Of God
“Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars!”
Job 22:12. See also Deuteronomy 26:15.
2. He aven Is The Throne Room Of God
“The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all”
Psalms 103:19 See also Isaiah 66:1.
 3. Heaven Is The Place Of God’s Glory
“As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His clothing was as white as snow, the hair of his head was white like wool, his throne
was flaming fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out
of from before him… ” Daniel 7:9-10
See also Acts 7:55.
4. Heaven Is The Home Of The Righteous (Believing) Dead
“Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a
building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands”
2Corinthians 5:1.
5. Heaven Is The Future Home Of All Believers
“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one
could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne.
They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And
they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne…
” Revelation 7:9-10.
B. THE NATURE OF HEAVEN
Heaven is a place far beyond anything we could possibly conceive, 1Corinthians
2:9; 13:12. Heaven is a place of holiness, full of gory and without end.
But though the Bible doesn’t describe all the details of what Heaven is like,
it does give us some clues as to its nature. It is:
1. A Place Of Great Glory
“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father… ”
Matthew 13:43.
2. A Place Of Continual Worship
“After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in
heaven shouting:
’Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God...’Then I heard what
sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of
thunder, shouting; ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns..’” Revelation 19:1-
6, See also Revelation 5:11-12.
3. A Place That Will Never End
“… and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ” 2Peter 1:11. See also 1Peter 1:4.
4. A Place Untainted By Evil
“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful
or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life”
Revelation 21:27. See also Ephesians 5:5.
The Book of Revelation describes the New Jerusalem, comi ng out of Heaven as a
place without:
a. Night. Revelation 22:5
b. Curse. Revelation 22:3
c. Pain. Revelation 21:4
d. Crying, sorrow. Revelation 21:4
e. Death. Revelation 21:4
 This is because the nature of Heaven is a product of the nature of God. Since
Heaven is the full manifestation of His presence, what God is like, heaven is a place of
holiness, full of glory and without end.
C. OUR LINK WITH HEAVEN
As believers, we now live our lives in a special relationship with Heaven, because:
1. We Belong There
“But you have come to… the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God.
You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church
of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven… ” Hebrews 12:22-23. See also
Philippians 3:20.
2. We Are Enthroned There
“And God raised us up with Christ and enthroned us with him in heavenly
realms in Christ Jesus”. Ephesians 2:6.
3. We Have Our Source Of Life There
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us
in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” Ephesians 1:3. See also
Colossians 3:1-4.
4. We Have Our Names Recorded There
“However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that
your names are written in heaven” Luke 10:20. See also Hebrews 12;23.
5. We Have Been Sent By The One Who Lives There
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it… As you have sent me into the
world, I have sent them into the world” John 17:16,18. See also 2 Corinthians 5:20.
6. We have Our Eyes Fixed There
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory
that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is
unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal”. 2Corinthians 4:17-18.
7. We Have Our Treasure There
“… He has given us new birth into a living hope… into an inheritance that can
never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you… ” 1 Peter 1:3-4. See also
Matthew 6:19-21.
8. We Are Being Called There
“… But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is
ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me
heavenwards in Christ Jesus”
Philippians 3:13-14.
Jesus Himself, before returning to Heaven, made a very special promise to every
believer: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my
Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going
there to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” John 14:1-3. See
also John 17:24.

MY COMMITMENT
I decide today to set my affections on things in Heaven, not on thi ngs of this
earth. I realize my life on earth is only temporary, so I will live by priorities
established by this truth. I will share with others the good news about this
wonderful eternal home Jesus offers to all who will believe on Him.

Chapter 20
When Jesus Returns – The Second Coming
“Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you have proclaimed the Lord’s
death UNTIL HE COMES”. 1 Corinthians 11:26.
A. THE PROMISE OF HIS RETURN
The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus to the earth is one of the most important
subjects for the Christian. The writers of the New Testament discussed it more than 300
times, and the language used was almost always imperative. The first thing we need to
know about the Second Coming is that it is CERTAIN.
1. Jesus Spoke About His Own Return
“At that time the sign of the Son Of man will appear in the sky, and the nations
of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of the sky,
with power and great glory”. Matthew24:30. See also John 14:2-3.
2. Angels Foretold It
“They were looking intently into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two
men dressed in white stood beside them. Men of Galilee, ‘they said, ‘why do you stand
there looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken back from you into
heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go to heaven’”. Acts 1:10-
11.
3. The Early Christians Encouraged One Another With It
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with
the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will
rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in
the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage each other with these words”. 1Thessalonians 4:16-18. See also
Revelation 1:7.
4. The Holy Spirit Bears Witness Of It
“Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the
Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” 2Corinthians 5:5.
“But be patient, my brothers, as you wait for the Lord to come. Look at the
farmer quietly waiting for his precious harvest. See how he has to possess his soul in
patience till the land has had the early and late rains. So must you be patient, resting
your hearts on the ultimate certainty. The Lord’s coming is very near”. James 5:7-8
Phillips Translation. See also Hebrews 10:37.
B. HOW WILL HE RETURN?
1. Unexpectedly
“Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you
know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While
people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them
suddenly… ”. 1Thessalonians 5:1-3. Read also verses 4-11.
2. Like The Lightning
 “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be
the coming of the Son of Man”. Matthew 24:27. See also Luke 17:24.
3. In The Same Way That he Left
“… This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in
the same way you have seen him go into heaven”. Acts 1:10-1.
4. With Power And Great Glory
“At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power
and great glory”
Luke 21:27.
5. In Full View Of All
“Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those
who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall
it be! Amen” Revelation 1:7.
C. DRAMATIC EVENTS TO TAKE PLACE
1. The Mystery Of The Ages Will Be Completed
“… There will be no more delay! But in the day when the seventh angel is
about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he
announced to his servants the prophets”. Revelation 10:6-7. See also Romans 16:25-
26.
2. God’s People Will Enter Their Full Glory
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his
control, will transform our lowly bodies so they will be like his glorious body”.
Philippians 3:20-21. See also1Corinthians 15:35-53.
3. The Dead In Christ Will Be Raised To Life
“… because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will
also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence”. 1Corinthians 4:14. See
also John 6:40; 11:25.
4. Those Believers Still Alive Will Be Caught Up To Meet Him
“And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather
his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other”. Matthew
24:31.
5. Creation Will Be Set Free From Its Bondage
“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the
creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one
who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to
decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God”. Romans 8:19-21.
Read also verse 22 and Isaiah 35:1-7.
6. Every Enemy Will Be Destroyed
“Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father
after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has
put all his enemies under his feet”. 1Corinthians 15:24-25. See also 2 Thessalonians 1:7-
10; 2:8.
7. Satan Will Be Bound
“And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss
and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is
the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years”. Revelation 20:1-2. Read also
verses 3, 7-10.
 8. Judgment Will Be Meted Out
“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to
you who are troubled… This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven
in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and
do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting
destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His
power.
2Thessalonians 1:6-9.
9. A Kingdom Will Be Set Up That Will Never Be Destroyed
“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will
never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those
kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever”. Daniel 2:44. See
also Revelation 19:15-16.

MY COMMITMENT
The Second Coming of Jesus is my great hope for the future. I will tell as
many people as possible about Jesus, my saviour, before He returns again. I
am, committed to Him and look with excitement for that day of his coming.

Chapter 21
Call Of God
God has a plan for the life of every individual believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not only does His call involve a wonderful purpose for us throughout eternity, but we
also have an expression of that call upon the earth now.
“Who has saved us, and CALLED us with a holy calling … according to his own
purpose and grace… ”. 2Timothy 1:9.
“Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with
Christ… And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE”. Romans 8:17, 28. See also
verses 29, 30.
A. GOD HAS CALLED US
1. From The Foundation Of The World
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and
blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus
Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will”. Ephesians 1:4-5. See also Ephesians
2:10 and Matthew 25:34.
2. To Be Separated Unto Him
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of
darkness into his wonderful light”. 1Peter 2:9.
See also Romans 9:23-26.
3. To Fulfil His Purpose
“So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord… who has saved us and called
us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose
and grace… ”. 2Timothy 1:8-9.
See also Romans 8:28 and Philippians 3:14.
B. OUR CALL ON EARTH
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for
the gospel of God”. Romans 1:1.
In describing his own ministry, the Apostle Paul gives us an example of the
call that is upon EVERY believer. It has three aspects:
1. The General Calling – “A Slave Of Christ”
Jesus paid a high price for us, His own life. “For he who was a slave when he
was called by the Lord is the Lord’s free man; similarly, he who was a free man when he
was called is Christ’s slave. You were bought with a price… ”. 1Corinthians 7:22-23.
See also 1Corinthians 6:19-20.
When Paul calls himself a slave of Jesus Christ, he is pointing to an even deeper
meaning. According to the custom of his day, if a slave came to the time when he could
be set free, but because of love for his master chose not accept his freedom, he then
received a mark pierced in his ear. This was a sign that he was a “love or bond slave”
to his master for life. Exodus 21:5-60; Deuteronomy 15:16-17.
The Apostle Paul, by choice, declared himself a bond slave of the Lord Jesus.
2. The Special Calling – “Called To Be An Apostle”
Just as the Apostle Paul has a special calling upon his life, so does every believer.
Paul was called to be an apostle, but there are many different callings in the Body of
Christ. See Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:7-16. The special part that God has for us to
play will be revealed to us as we earnestly seek His will.
3. The Particular Calling – “Separated Unto The Gospel”
Within each special calling there is a particular calling. For example, Peter and
Paul were both apostles, but one was the apostle to the Jews and the other to the Gentiles.
See Romans 11;13; 1 Timothy 2:7;
1 Corinthians 12;4-11.
We move into our special and particular calling only as we prove ourselves as
servants of Christ, for we must first learn to be wholly under the authority of Christ
before we can be SENT by Him.
See Matthew 28:18-19.
C. WHY DOES HE CALL US?
1. Because The World Is In Darkness
“We know that we ourselves are children of God, and we also know that the
world around us is under the power of the evil one”. 1John 5:18 Phillips Translation. See
also Ephesians 6:12 and
Colossians 12:13.
2. Because People Are Hungry And In Need
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they
were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd”. Matthew 9:36.
3. To Prove His Wisdom
“His intent was that now, through the Church, the manifold wisdom of God
should be made known to the rulers and authorities in heavenly realms, according to
the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Ephesians 3:10-
11.
4. Because Time Is Short
 “Do you not say, ‘Four months more then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes
and look at the fields! They are ripe for the harvest!” John 4:35. See also John 9:4.
D. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE CALLED?
1. We Are Made By Him
“’Come, follow me, ‘Jesus said, and I WILL MAKE YOU fishers of
men’”. Matthew 4:19.
See also Jeremiah 18:1-10.
2. We Are Taught By Him
“But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you”. John
14:26.
See also 1Corinthians 2:12 and John 2:27.
3. We Are Sent By Him
“As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world”. John 17:18.
See also Mark 16:15.
When God calls, He comes and interrupts our lives. Some examples of this in
scripture are:
Moses (a shepherd in the desert): “Go, set my people free”. Exodus 3:1-
12.
Samuel (a boy serving in the temple): “Wake up, speak for me”. 1Samuel
3:1-19.
Ezekiel (a captive in a foreign land): “Stand up, I am sending
you”. Ezekiel 2:1-7.
Disciples (businessmen, fishermen): “Come follow me”.
Matthew 4:18-
22.
Saul (an enemy of the Church): “Go, I will tell you what you
must
do”. Acts 9:1-9.

MY COMMITMENT
Now that I realize that God has had a plan for my
life even before the foundation of the world, I now make a
total commitment to this plan and will follow the Lord all
the way. I will teach others also about God’s plan for their
lives.