And mystic sweet communion His way was much rougher

With those whose rest is won: And darker than mine;

Oh, happy ones and holy ! Did Christ, my Lord, suffer,
Lord, give us grace, that we. And shall I repine?
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee ! 6.Since all that I meet
Shall work for my good,
The bitter is sweet,
HYMN 16. Be gone Unbelief The medicine, food;
1. Be gone, unbelief, Though painful at present,
My Saviour is near, 'Twill cease before long,
And for my relief And then- oh, how pleasant
Will surely appear: The conqueror's song!
By prayer let me wrestle,
And He will perform; HYMN 17. Bringing in the Sheaves
With Christ in the vessel, 1.Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of
I smile at the storm. kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eves:
2.Though dark be my way,
Since He is my Guide, Waiting for the harvest, and the time of
'Tis mine to obey, reaping,
Tis His to provide: We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the
Though cisterns be broken, shelves!
And creatures all fail, Bringing in the sheaves!
The word He hath spoken Bringing in the sheaves!
Shall surely prevail. We shall come rejoicing,
Bringing in the shelves!
3.His love, in time past,
Forbids me to think 2.Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the
He'll leave me at last shadows,
In trouble to sink: Fearing neither clouds nor winter's chilling
Each sweet Ebenezer breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labour ended,
I have in review We shall come rejoicing bringing in the
Confirms His good pleasure shelves.
To help me quite through.
3.Go then ever, weeping, sowing for the
4.Why should I complain Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often
Of want or distress,
grieves;
Temptation or pain?- When our weeping’s over, He will bid us
He told me no less; welcome,
The heirs of salvation, We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the
I know from His Word, shelves!
Through much tribulation
Must follow their Lord.
5.How bitter that cup
No heart can conceive,
Which He drank quite up,
That sinners might live!
32 1
 Sound of abundance of rain.
BURDEN AND VISION The Comforter has come!
3.There shall be showers of blessing- 5.Oh, let the echoes fly above the vault-
“Hereafter You shall see Send them upon us, O Lord: ed sky,
heaven open…” Grant to us now a refreshing; And all the saints above to all below
Come, and now honour Thy Word. reply,
“Jesus answered and said to him, Because I said to you, I saw
4.There shall be showers of blessing- In strains of endless love, the song that
you under the fig tree,’do you believe? You will see greater
Oh that to-day they might fall, ne'er will die:
things than these.”And He said to him, Most assuredly, I say to
you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God Now as to God we're confessing, The Comforter has come!
ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.””John 1:50-51 Now as on Jesus we call! HYMN 15. The Church’s One Founda-
NKJV HYMN 14. The Comforterhas tion
All we have seen and heard God declare to us since we entered come 1. The church’s one foundation
into this decade has been very prophetic and all the words He Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
1. Oh, spread the tidings round, wher-
has sent to us and the various MLR themes He led us into for She is His new creation
ever man is found.
2020 (Fill the earth, subdue it: Preach the word), 2021 By water and the Word:
Wherever human hearts and human
(Rehoboth: Abiding, Abounding and Abundant Fruitfulness) woes abound; From Heaven He came and sought her
and 2022 (Pursue, overtake and recover all: maximizing our Let every Christian tongue proclaim the To be His holy bride;
Rehoboth) have all been directional. They are not topics per se, joyful sound: With His own blood He bought her,
they are prophetic directions and guideposts to what we must The Comforter has come! And for her life He died.
do now in this season of His visitation. While disciples must The Comforter has come, the Com- 2. Elect from every nation,
multiply from nation to nation, it is clear that the time has forter has come Yet one o’er all the earth;
come, our day has broken and the Lord is still holding the The Holy Ghost from heaven, the Her character of salvation-
sceptre to us in mercy to rise and shine His light into the na- Father's promise given; One Lord, one faith, one birth;
tions of the earth. Oh, spread the tidings round, One holy Name she blesses,
wherever man is found: Partakes one holy food;
Hence, this year again, He has taken away the veil to The Comforter has come! And to one hope she presses,
show us what we must hereafter enter into even as the 2.The long, long night is past, the With every grace endued.
season of our Rehoboth continues with a very strong morning breaks at last;
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury 3 . Though with a scornful wonder
assurance and declaration: “Most assuredly, I say to you, Men see her sore opprest,
hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God of the blast,
As o'er the golden hills the day advanc- By schisms rent asunder
ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” This has es fast: By heresies distrest:
come to us as we waited upon Him seeking His wisdom The Comforter has come! Yet saints their watch are keeping ,
and further strategy of the “Pursue, overtake and you Their cry goes up, “How long ?”
will surely recover all” which has guided our steps 3.The mighty King of kings, with heal- And soon the night of weeping
ing in His wings, Shall be the morn of song.
since the beginning of this year. To every captive soul a full deliverance
brings; 4. ‘Mid toil and tribulations,
The Lord has come again to declare to us with utmost assur- And tumults of her war,
ance that henceforth, we shall see heaven open and we shall And through the vacant cells the song
of triumph rings: She waits the consummation
see the traffic of the heavenly on the Son of Man who indeed is Of peace for evermore;
our stairway to glory. It is on Him that we shall see the move of The Comforter has come!
Till with the vision glorious
God and the release of the outpouring of the showers of bless- 4.Oh, boundless Love Divine! how shall Her longing eyes are blest,
ing from heaven to overrun and overwhelm our earth. this tongue of mine, And the great church victorious,
To wondering mortals tell, the match- Shall be the church at rest.
We perceive the Lord is about to open the heavens unto us cor- less grace divine"
porately and particularly to you as an individual more than we That I may with Him dwell, and in His 5. Yet she on earth hath union
image shine!" With God the Three in One,

2 31
Glory excelling soon, full soon l’ll see Tho’ Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
have ever known in all our years of labouring with Him. Several
Christ, only Christ, my every wish fulfilling For faith has caught the joyful sound,
of us are the “Nathaniel(s)” of our day, who are seeking genuine
visitation from on high, who cannot make do with mere stories
Christ, only Christ, my all in all to be. The song of saints on higher ground.
and routine religious activities… We have mused in our hearts
HYMN 10. Give us O Lord, 4.I want to scale the utmost height, over and over again, “Can anything good come out of Naza-
1. Give us O Lord, Thine unction, And catch a gleam of glory bright; reth?”.
Anoint us for Thy work; But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,
Arise and set us in motion, We have been drawn into discipleship seeking to see the reality
“Lord, lead me on to higher ground.” of Christ’s life and His work in our lives and in our genera-
O Lord the man of war.
tion… We have come to know Him in a way and we could say,
2.Baptize us Lord with Thy fire, HYMN 12. God is Here! He is our Lord and our God, He is the King of our lives… But
And set our souls aflame; 1. God is here, and that to bless us, He is taking us into the next dimension of His dealing with us.
To burn and shine for Thy cause, With the Spirit's quickening power; He says, “Most assuredly, I say unto you, “Hereafter, you shall
Revive your zeal in us. See, the cloud already bending, see heaven open…”. “Hereafter” means, “henceforth; from now
3.Refine us Lord and cleanse us, Waits to drop the grateful shower. on.”
Clothe us in holiness; Let it come, O Lord, we pray Thee!
Transform our thoughts and nature; Let the shower of blessing fall, | Whatever He will do to open the heavens over our heads and for
Till we Thy glory show. We are wait…ing, we are waiting, us to walk daily under the open heaven and minister under the
4.New hearts, more love, more passion, Oh revive the hearts of all. open heaven, experiencing divine carriage ascending and de-
For souls in Satan’s train;
scending upon the Son of Man, we shall sit at His feet in this
2.God is here! we feel His presence, year’s MLR to experience. Our hearts are full of expectation of
With hook or net use us still, In this consecrated place; what the Lord is surely bringing us into. There are several in-
Make us fishers of men. But we need the soul refreshing stances in the word of God when it pleased the Lord to open
5.Not gold, not power, not knowledge, Of His free, unbounded grace. the heavens to a person or a people and the result was unmis-
Will thy heaven unlock; takable.
But prayer and faith and unity, 3.God is here! Oh, then believing,
Will bring the latter rain. Bring to Him our one desire, As we gather together at His feet for this encounter, just as our
6.With tears and groans and fasting That His love may now be kindled, Lord had to go to Jordan, to be baptized of John for the heav-
O Lord, help us to pray; Till its flame each heart inspire. ens to open unto Him, and for the Spirit to come as the dove to
Travailing as in birth for souls, 4.Saviour, grant the prayer we offer, rest upon Him and for the voice of the Father to be heard au-
Till you revive the church. While in simple faith we bow; thenticating Him and commanding people to hear Him, such
From the windows of Thy mercy, that He could finish the work His Father gave Him to do in the
HYMN 11. I’m pressing on Pour us out a blessing now. years allotted to Him, we trust God to help us get down to the
1.I’m pressing on, the upward way, place where we can individually see heaven open unto us, em-
New heights I’m gaining everyday; HYMN 13. Showers of blessing powering us and opening the door for us to also accomplish the
Still praying as I onward bound, 1.There shall be showers of blessing- greater task laid on our lives in this our Day.
“Lord plant my feet on higher ground” This is the promise of love;
Lord lift me up, and let me stand, There shall be seasons refreshing, Jacob came to Bethel and saw it as a dream but could not enter
By faith on heaven’s table land; Sent from the Saviour above. into it then, as he went his way into many conflicts because of
A higher plane, than I have found, his nature. It only remained a mirage or a faint promise in his
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground” Show…ers of blessing, heart. He could not perpetuate that experience until He came
Showers of blessing we need; back, twenty years after, to Peniel where God terminated the
2.My heart has no desire to stay, Mercy-drops round us are falling, “Jacob” in Jacob and then the heaven opened unto him and the
Where doubts arise and fear dismay; But for the showers we plead. sun rose upon him and he walked the rest of his pilgrimage on
Tho’ some may dwell where those abound, earth with the sun risen upon him, while leaning on the staff of
My prayer, my aim is higher ground. 2.There shall be showers of blessing-
Precious reviving again; grace.
3.I want to live above the world, Over the hills and the valleys,

30 3
You may be the one whom God has signalled to use for the past Let our whole soul an offering be, What the true burden of the Lord is;
several years, but you have not been able to enter the promise To our Redeemer's name. That I may not slack any more
due to your own “Jacob” nature. I perceive this MLR may be 4. Come as the dew- and sweetly bless,
your ‘Peniel’ where you will look unto God to permanently deal Nor withhold myself from holy use.
This consecrated hour;
with your personal hindrances and set His sun to rise upon 2. Perfect my sight O Lord,
May barrenness rejoice to own,
you, so that you can then walk into His promise in Isa. 60:1-3
Thy fertilizing power. Help me to see as you see;
and all the promises that prophecy holds for us: “Arise, shine;
5. Come as the dove - and spread Thy Right value for eternal things
For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon
you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep wings, Lord give me cause my eyes to see;
darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His The wings of peaceful love; That I see not men as trees,
glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your And let Thy church on earth become, Nor lose sight of my duty and call.
Blest as the church above.
light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.”Isaiah 60:1-3
NKJV 6. Spirit Divine attend out prayer; HYMN 9. Not I But Christ
Make a lost word Thy home; 1.Not I but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted;
It is the set time. The day now breaks… The heaven must open Descend with all Thy gracious powers, Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be
to you and your light must shine now and the glory of the Lord Oh, come, Great Spirit, come! heard;
must rise upon you now in this your day and in this your time Not I, but Christ in every look and action,
of visitation. May the Lord help you so that you will not miss HYMN 7. Grace, thy grace alone Not I, but Christ, in every tho’t and word.
out. Hereafter, you shall see heaven open… After here, after this 1. Grace, Thy grace alone, O to be saved from myself, dear Lord,
MLR, you shall see the ‘Son’ rising upon you. You shall see Has brought me to Thy will; O to be lost in Thee,
heaven open and angels ascending and descending upon the Stranger and alien I had been, O that it might be no more I,
Son of Man. Do not come after the event! May the Lord help you ‘Till grace brought me so nigh.
But Christ that lives in me.
to be at the right place at the right time in Jesus Name, Amen. Grace, Thy grace alone,
Is all I plead for; 2. Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow;
As you have come, you have come to the Lord Himself. Prepare Grace to serve Thee aright Lord, Not I, but Christ to wipe the falling tear;
and settle your heart to indeed come and come you yourself O! Grace to love Thee more. Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden;
apart, away from all distractions to meet Him and be there with Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear.
2. ‘Tis grace that teaches me ,
Him who is waiting on top of this ladder to open His heaven Thy path for me to know; 3 Not I, but Christ in lowly silent labour;
unto you. Do not let Him go, until He has blessed you. And grace day by day leads me on, Not I, but Christ in humble earnest toil;
Your brother, My call not to let go. Christ only Christ, No show, No ostenta-
tion;
Gbile Akanni 3. I longed for this grace Lord,
Christ, none but Christ, the gatherer of the
To be faithful a steward;
spoil.
To lay my all down for the church,
Programme Shedule Till her glory bursts forth. 4. Christ, only Christ, no idol ever falling;
Christ, only Christ, no needless bustling
4. Make me Thy battle axe, sound;
Kept Lord in Thy quiver; Christ, only Christ, no self-important bearing;
Tried, Trimmed, sharpened in Christ, only Christ, no trace of ‘I’ be found.
Thy furnace, 5. Not l but Christ, my every need supply-
Meet for my Master’s use. ing;
Not l, but Christ, my strength and health to be;
HYMN 8. Enlarge my heart, Christ, only Christ, for body, soul, and spirit;
1.Enlarge my heart O Lord, Christ, only Christ, live then Thy life in me
That I may rightly perceive; 6. Christ, only Christ, ere long will fill my
Help me to understand vision;

4 29
 Find a sweet relief;
5.When Christ shall come, with shouts Kneeling there in deep contrition,
of acclamation,
Help my unbelief.
To take me home, what joy shall fill my 3.Trusting only in Thy merit,
heart; Would I seek Thy face;
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
And there proclaim, my God how great Save me by Thy grace.
Thou art.
4.Thou the spring of all my comfort,
HYMN 3. Rock of Ages More than life to me;
1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Let me hide myself in Thee; Whom in heaven but Thee?
Let the water and the blood, HYMN 5. I am praying
From Thy riven side which flowed, I am praying, Blessed Saviour,
Be of sin the double cure, To be more and more like Thee,
Save me from its guilt and power. I am praying that Thy Spirit,
2.Not the labour of my hands, Like a dove, may rest on me.
Can fulfill Thy law's demands; Thou who knowest all my weakness,
Could my zeal no respite know, Thou who knowest all my cares,
Could my tears for ever flow, While I plead each precious promise,
All for sin could not atone; Hear oh hear and answer prayer.
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
2. I am praying, Blessed Saviour,
3.Nothing in my hand I bring; For a faith so clear and bright,
Simply to Thy Cross I cling! That its eye will see Thy glory,
Naked, come to Thee for dress; Through the deepest, darkest night.
Helpless, look to Thee for grace: 3. I am praying, to be humbled,
Foul, I to the fountain fly; By Thy power of Grace divine,
Wash me, Saviour, or I die. To be clothed upon with meekness,
4.While I draw this fleeting breath, And to have no will but Thine.
When mine eyes shall close in death, 4. I am praying, Blessed Saviour,
When I soar to worlds unknown, And my constant prayer shall be,
See Thee on Thy Judgment-throne; For a perfect consecration,
That shall make me more like Thee.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee. HYMN 6. Spirit Divine,
1. Spirit Divine attend our prayers,
HYMN 4. Pass Me Not, And make our hearts Thy home;
1. Pass me not, O gentle Saviour,
Descend with all Thy gracious powers,
Hear my humble cry;
Oh come, Great Spirit, come!
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by. 2. Come as the light to us reveal,
Our emptiness and woe;
Saviour, Saviour,
Hear my humble cry; And lead us in those paths of life,
While on others Thou art calling, Where all the righteous go.
Do not pass me by. 3. Come as the fire - and purge our hearts,
2.Let me at Thy throne of mercy, Like sacrificial flame;

28 5
 3. Verification and completion of the attendance register of
Bible Study participants in the Onsite Workshop Group.
Other useful discussions related to the future plans of the
PURSUING THE ONENESS group in order to continue pursuing with passion and personal
OF THE BODY OF CHRIST commitment.

Pre-amble
This unstoppable move of God for which God has positioned us
and called us to be involved in will require the unity of the body
of Christ to bring it unto its full strength. This is why we have
been so instructed and led over the years in the way He has
called us so that we do not do anything on our own. We have
been called to bear the burden for the entire body of Christ. We HYMN 1. Holy, Holy, Holy I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
must belong to them and be in their midst. We must not pull 1. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God mighty! Thy power throughout the universe dis-
played.
apart as if we are superior to them. We must bear their bur- Early in the morning our song shall rise
dens and challenges on our hearts till Christ is formed in each to thee;
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to
Holy, Holy, Holy, Merciful and Mighty!
of them and until they come to the measure of the full stature of Thee,
God in Three persons, Blessed Trinity How great Thou art, how great Thou art,
Christ Jesus. Eph. 4:11-14.
2. Holy, Holy, Holy! All the saints adore thee, Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Thee
Casting down their golden crowns
Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
around the glassy sea;
fullness of Christ; Eph. 4:13 Cherubim and seraphim falling down
“[That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith before Thee, 2.When through the wood and forest
and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of Who wert and art, and ever more shall be. glades I wander,
the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood And hear the birds sing sweetly in the tree;
3. Holy, Holy, Holy! Tho’ the darkness When I look down from lofty mountain
(the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the hide Thee, grandeur,
standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the Tho’ the eye of sinful man Thy glory may And hear the brook and feel the gentle
stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in not see, breeze.
Him.” Ephesians 4:13 AMPC Only Thou art holy; there in none beside
There is the crucial need for the oneness of the BODY OF Thee, 3.And when I think, that God His Son not
Perfect in power, in love, and purity. sparing,
CHRIST: we all must come to the unity of the faith and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man. It is a labour for Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
4. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!
That on the cross, my burden gladly
which God is equipping His people through the ministry gifts. All Thy work shall praise Thy name, in bearing,
This was what Paul expended all the energy God so lavishly earth, and sky, and sea; He bled and died, to take away my sin.
provided in his life to pursue. And this move of God must bring Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty!
us individually and corporately to this. While we trust the Lord God in Three persons, Blessed Trinity! 4.When burden press, and seem beyond
endurance,
for the increase, labouring for the church to be one is one key HYMN 2. How Great Thou Art
Bowed down with grief, to Him I lift my
goal and pursuit of this move of God. It is not ecumenism or 1. Oh Lord, my God, when I in awe- face;
organisational unity or uniformity we are labouring for, it is the some wonder, And then in love, He brings me sweet
oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the full Consider all the works Thy hands assurance,
and accurate knowledge of the Son of God… have made; My child for you, sufficient is my grace.

6 27
a. When you catch up with the ‘invaders’ of your workplace, In this Bible study, we shall explore this mandate God has
how practically should you ‘overtake’ the enemy and begin placed on us to see to the oneness of the Body of Christ and we
to recover what is under his bondage? Discuss with refer- trust the Lord to help us to faithfully honour the body and so
ence to the peculiarities of your profession. serve her, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the
b. We ‘Overtake’ when we “take over” the control and can bond of peace.
begin the process of ‘recovery’. How should you go about
the ‘recovery’ of the losses you have suffered in your profes-
sional environment? Discuss the recovery of the following
losses:
Oneness of the Body of Christ and in the body of Christ is not a
i. Salvation of the souls of men and women who are either col-
leagues or clients. cosmetic issue that should be treated lightly. It is a paramount
matter in the heart of God and it is a very indispensable key in
ii. Strategic raising of disciples among influential colleagues in
the profession. all that God wants to do on earth by our hands. It was the
strength of the early Church and their division was their bane
iii. Envisioning all disciples who are professional colleagues for
Kingdom service in the workplace. and downfall.
Deliberate posting of envisioned disciples in strategic positions At Pentecost, the coming of the Spirit upon them with cloven
to take over, fill and subdue the professional landscape. tongues of fire was to inaugurate the Church in unity and one-
i. Aggressive rewriting and replacing the unrighteous princi- ness of spirit and purpose. Tribes and tongues, nationalities
ples and practices in our professions with those of the King- and location notwithstanding, we heard them speak…one mes-
dom of Christ. sage- the wonderful works of God. (Acts 2:4-13)
Tribe and tongue may differ; Nationalities and geography may
vary; but we have been imbued with the self- same Spirit and
A. Assign one of the leaders of each Onsite Workshop Group to this makes us one in every way. As we study, we shall examine
take notes during the sessions. At the end of the session, he the rationale and the need for us to pursue the oneness of the
or she should present a summary of the convictions and Body even as we see this stream flowing from the sanctuary
strategies arrived at during the discussions. Participants break forth everywhere in the lands and nations of the earth.
may offer corrections and additions if they have any.
B. The leaders of the group should also appoint someone to
lead the closing prayers of each session.
C. During the closing prayers of a session, a brief moment of When people were of one mind, one speech, one vision, and
time should first be given for individual prayers on the fresh one purpose, discuss and analyse what the Lord says (and still
convictions each person may have contracted during the says) about oneness even when the people were pursuing a
session. Corporate praying may then follow, drawing each wicked agenda.
point of prayer from the group’s summary of convictions Gen 11:1-9; Matt 18:18-20 (NKJV, AMP); Acts 1:14; 2:1-2; 4:24-31.
and strategies. What lessons can we learn from the apostles and the early dis-
ciples in the move of God they experienced?

1. The final Workshop Group session may conclude with the In Gen.11, we are told that the people had one language and one
speech. They said the same thing from their heart. Note what
following useful items: God said here. It was not an angel who said it. Even if what
2. Presentation of upcoming events and any other information people want to do is evil, if they are united in it, nothing (good
of relevance to the particular professional hub. or bad) that they propose to do will be withheld from them. The

26 7
only way to stop them is to break their oneness. That shows the the effective procedure to follow in removing each “stone”.
power of oneness. It is the key to an unstoppable move of God. 4. Jesus said: “hereafter you shall see heaven open …” The
Even God will not withhold from us whatever we propose to do,
word hereafter is an adverb of continuity. It means following
if it is particularly aligned to His will.
this. Heaven will not open upon your profession or work-
Whereas Satan is not divided in his kingdom, he has used this place in a vacuum. It only comes as you are busy believing
eternal truth to weaken the body of Christ by bringing division Christ and following Him.
among God’s people. The disciples were in one accord, a. Discuss the need to intensify your labours in disciple-
(including the women) in the early church and it brought the making and purging of your workplace of ungodliness as
outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of God’s you await the unprecedented dimension of open heavens.
power. Acts 4:24 (AMP) says they lifted their voices together
In what other ways can you persevere in your pursuit to
with one united mind. Division starts from the mind; so the
b.

overtake and recover all that is lost within your profes-

unity must also start from the mind.
sional domain as you expect unusual open heavens?
On the day of Pentecost, there was agreement; there was sym-
5. The open heavens shall trigger the traffic of “the angels of
phony in their prayers. People heard them speaking the same
God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man”.
message- the wonderful works of God, even though they were
speaking in different languages. So the revival lasted during What is the relevance of this to those who are seeking reviv-
their time in the Acts of the Apostles. If only we will be in one al in their workplaces? This reveals to us that God is clearly
not interested in doing business with any other person on
accord, God will do great things in answer to our prayers. We
can achieve unity if we put our hearts to it under God. earth besides Christ Jesus. The Father cannot invest on
earth in anything or anyone that does not profit the Son of
Only oneness can defeat another oneness. The Godhead had to Man. Therefore:
come together to scatter those building the tower of Babel. The
a. Do you pledge to live for Christ alone and faithfully repre-
God Head could have sent an angel to scatter them, but we see
sent Him in all you do professionally?
God Himself operating in oneness. If we are going to see His
b. In what practical ways can you diligently focus on living for
glory break forth, we need to begin to pray and plead with God
Christ and faithfully representing Him in all you do on your
for oneness of mind in our families as husband and wife and professional platform?
among us as disciples. Anything other than this will be a waste
c. What could possibly hinder you from living as a true ambas-
of our time. sador of Christ in your workplace? What is the Biblical so-
lution to each of the identified hindrances?
6. What steps should you arise from here to take in your pur-
suit for recovery of all the losses in your professional do-
Matt 18:18-19 (NKJV AMP); 1Pet.3:7; Acts 12:5; Jam.5:14-16. main:
a. Individually, as you personally live for the Lord and serve
Look intently into these Scriptures and highlight the issue of Him on a daily basis?
oneness in the various situations and the unlimited answers to
Collectively, in your workplace, in your various profession-
their prayers. What lesson have you picked from this?
b.

al associations and fellowships?

For corporate prayers between two or more people, agreement 7. The unusual open heavens we are stepping into by the mercy
brings definite answers to prayers. And to achieve agreement, of God should not end our pursuit to overtake and recover
we must first discuss to harmonize our minds on what we want all. We shall continue our pursuit with an even greater vig-
to pray about, even between husband and wife. To pray a pray- our with the aim to recover all. The unusual open heavens
er of one accord, we must be united in what is being asked. will rather supernaturally accelerate our pursuit and hasten
our recovery of all that we lost.
In Acts 12, it is clear that the believers were asking for one and
8 25
This year, He has declared that “Hereafter, you shall see the same thing: it was for Peter to be released from prison; and
Heaven open …”. This means that the unprecedented Divine that was what God did for them. If some of them had prayed for
visitation for which we have prayed, laboured and waited is Peter to be made comfortable and favoured in prison while oth-
now at hand. We are at the threshold of an unbroken flow of ers prayed for his release, they would not have received the an-
Divine grace and mercy from heaven upon the Son of Man who swer they were expecting because there was already division in
is at work in our lives. their ranks. But they were united in what they were asking for; so
the answer came speedily from heaven.
The Father will open the heavens unto us to glorify Jesus, to
confirm the Gospel message with signs following and to estab- In addition, when elders come together in agreement to pray
over the sick, even their sins will be forgiven (if sin was the
lish His Kingdom upon the Earth. This unusual open heavens
cause). Unfortunately, in many cases, God’s people do not take
is being released to sponsor the mission of Christ Jesus on our
time to harmonize their hearts together and make a symphony
hands.
of what they ask before praying. There is no limit to answered
In our Professional Workshop at this MLR, we shall strategize prayers when it is done in agreement.
on how to labour diligently to establish His Kingdom in the “Receive this truth: Whatever you forbid on earth will be consid-
workplace. Otherwise, we shall end up wasting the unusual ered to be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you release on
open heavens we have graciously received from on-High. earth will be considered to be released in heaven. 19Again, I give
you an eternal truth: If two of you agree to ask God for some-
thing in a symphony of prayer, my heavenly Father will do it for
Read John 1:50-51 again. you. 20 For wherever two or three come together in honor of my
name, I am right there with them!” (Matthew 18: 18-20 (TPT)
1. List the areas and aspects of your profession and workplace
This is an eternal truth, this is not something that is temporary,
that have suffered lack or loss of godliness under “closed this is not sentimental – it is the truth. If two of us agree to ask God for
heavens”. anything in prayer, God-the Father will do it for us. This is an eternal
2. What change do you desire to see in each of these as you and unshakeable truth! Wherever people agree together, God is will-
come under the unusual “open heavens”? ing to work. This shows a critical need for oneness. What has
weakened the body of Christ is this matter.
3. Notice that Jesus said to Nathanael: “… do you believe?
(Joh 1:50). This is quite similar to what He also said to The devil has focused his attention on dividing the church while
Martha: “… Do you believe this?” Again He said: "Did I he protects the unity of his own kingdom. In the Body of Christ,
not say to you that if you would believe you would see to get brethren to agree to work and to stand together it is a tug
of war. In this move of the Spirit that God is bringing us into,
the glory of God?" (Joh 1:26, 40).
one of the key issues we must trust the Lord for is the oneness:
a. Discuss the importance of believing this prophetic Word of the oneness of our spirit and of our mind so that the purpose of
Christ regarding the resurrection of those aspects of your God will not be jeopardized.
workplace where righteousness is currently considered
“dead and buried” and salvation of the lost souls of your
professional colleagues. "If you can believe, all things are
possible to him who believes." (Mar 9:23). John 13:34-35; Acts 4:32-35; 5:12-14; 1Jn. 2:9-11; 3:9-16.
b. If you do believe, Jesus expects you to "Take away the Discuss this one and only evidence that we are children of God
stone." What are the “stones” that you must arise to remove and are His disciples indeed and in reality. Why will anything
from the “dead” practices in your professional environ- else not suffice?
ment? You cannot claim that you are a child of God when you resent
c. Taking the “dead” practices one by one, discuss and outline or hate a brother. You are in darkness. Jesus says, “By this”…
24 9
shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and
one for another;” not “By these…” It is the enemy who sows the have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17:20-23 NKJV
seed of discord among us to make sure we are not one. And
Let us join our Lord in this crucial prayer and desire of His
when we are not one, prayers remain unanswered no matter
heart with “so be it with us, O Lord, and cause your glory to fill
how long we pray and even shout; and people will not know us
the earth as the waters cover the sea in this our day of your vis-
as Christ’s disciples if there is no love and oneness among us.
itation.”
And do not only pray about it but be God’s answer to that pray-
er of Jesus Christ for His church. Allow nothing to make you to
Jn. 17: 11, 20 -23; Jn. 10:16; Jer. 32:39; Ezek. 37:1-3, 16-19, 22-25. contribute to the division of the Body of Christ. What is at stake
is greater than what we often allow to divide us. We shall see
Discuss this prayer of our Lord Jesus and the burden of His more answers to prayers when we are one. We shall see angels
heart for the oneness of His Church on earth. of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man! May
The burden in God’s heart for His people is that they will be the Lord depend on you
one, as it is clearly evident in these Scriptures. People will not
be able to know that God sent Jesus Christ to the world to save
them if we are divided. Lack of oneness will hinder the effective-
ness of the Body of Christ especially in soul winning in any
community. The death of Christ on the cross for mankind will
be wasted. But when we are one, people will know that God has PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP
sent Jesus Christ to them to save them. GENERAL OUTLINE
The prophetic miracle of the valley of dry bones where bone
joined to bone and became a great army for God in Israel was
actually so that they might be one and no more two separated
nations. Let each of us have done with lesser things. What is at
stake is greater than what divides us.

Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you
under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things
Luke 11:16-23; Eccl. 4: 9-12; Matt. 18:18-19 than these." And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you,
Discuss this issue in the light of our pursuing to overtake the hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascend-
enemy and to surely recover all that has been stolen and van- ing and descending upon the Son of Man." Joh 1:50-51 NKJV
dalised in the Body of Christ. God called forth the Rehoboth of our labours at the Ministers
Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, Leadership Retreat (MLR) of 2021. This marked the beginning
and a house divided against itself falls. If Satan is divided of the season of an abiding, abounding and abundant fruitful-
against himself his kingdom cannot stand. For all these years ness in our labours for revival. Thereafter, the LORD has com-
that we have been battling with the kingdom of darkness, it has stood. manded us to pursue the “thief” that has stolen, killed and de-
stroyed righteousness, godliness and peace from our home-
Because we are divided and fallen apart, the kingdom of dark- lands and workplaces. He assures us that with the help of His
ness is advancing. Churches are becoming empty, young people Spirit, we shall surely overtake our adversary and recover all
are being lured into darkness and we are wondering why. We our losses.

10 23
word of truth and the Spirit bears witness with your spirit that wonder why God does not answer our prayers. The answer is
you are a child of God, then God is your Father along with all that every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to a
others. And Jesus is our Brother.
desolation.
a. How great is Our One God and Father of all! Look at Eph. Oneness is our critical need. When we are united, there is a
4:6 again and discuss the implication of this on the Oneness
sure word of promise that what we are asking God to do for us
of the Body of Christ? Rom 11:36; 2Cor. 6:16-18; 1Cor. 12:6
will be done, even if it be victory over the enemy; a three-fold
b. How will a correct knowledge of God enhance the oneness cord is not quickly broken.
of the Body of Christ? Jn. 17:3-9, 21-26
If God’s children know that we have the same Father – God –
and we belong to the same family of God, knowing this will en-
hance the oneness of the body of Christ. Note how great Jesus Psa. 2:1-5; Neh. 4, 5, 6; Gal. 5: 13-17, 19-21
is as a discipler. He taught them all that the Father taught Him Looking at the story of the building of the walls of Jerusalem
and exposed them to the correct knowledge of God the Father.
under the leadership of Nehemiah, bring out the strategies the
Do not shield the Father from His children. Guide them pro-
enemy engaged in those three chapters to break the oneness of
gressively to a personal knowledge of the God. Do not cut them
short. Discipleship that cuts men short as Adoni Bezek the workers and the people.
(Judg.1:7) did is not biblical. Discipleship is meant to help Could all the division that leads to breakaways in the Church
them to be able to take their own stand in the Family of God. be the activities of the enemy to put our bands asunder? Dis-
These seven dimensions of the oneness that God has arranged cuss. What role does the flesh play in breaking our bands asunder?
for the Body of Christ on earth are the basis for the prayer
The kingdom of darkness normally takes counsel together be-
Christ Himself prayed for His disciples that they should be one.
It is His life in us and us in Him that will make us one with one fore they set out to do anything. It is unfortunate that God’s
another. It is first the oneness of life, the sameness of the inner people do not take counsel together. We are individualistic; yet
man (Heb. 2:11 NET) that will work out the oneness of the we say it is the Spirit who is leading us. We must learn to take
Body. As we pursue this move of God and we have heard the counsel together. Also, the counsel from the kingdom of dark-
sound of abundance of rain, these dimensions of the oneness of ness has a focus; it is against the Lord, not against themselves.
the Church must be our deep conviction and experience. By our But we take counsel against one another and fight each other.
commitment to upholding it, we shall see more and more, the We need to learn. Also the flesh works against the Spirit of the
coming together of the dry bones again and a mighty army will Lord with all his works. It is one weapon the devil uses to put
arise in the nations of the earth, an army who could keep their
our bands asunder. When we look at Galatians 5:19-21, we see
rank and run to enthrone Jesus as the King everywhere with
that eight of the works of the flesh are divisive in nature. These
one undivided heart.
are hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish
ambition, dissension, division and envy.

““I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will be- Mr. Flesh is the strongest divider of the body of Christ, and we
lieve in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, need to fight ‘him’. Anything originating from the flesh is only
Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, attacking the purpose of God. The flesh is contrary to the Spir-
that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which it, and they are not friends. To be one with the brethren, you
You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We must be delivered from the power of the flesh.
are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect

22 11
 baptism that qualifies the believer for water baptism and the
baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Gen. 11:4-6; Ps. 133:1-3
Note very particularly that the baptism in water is only a sym-
The outflow of the Holy spirit becomes unlimited when God’s
bol of this. Then, He (Jesus) who comes to baptize with the Ho-
people are one. God is eager to bless when He sees us united.
ly Spirit and with fire comes to baptize the believer, filling him
He commands His blessing where brethren dwell together in
to overflowing with the Holy Spirit to empower him to be an
unity.
effective witness of Christ.
To conclude this section, you need to answer this question,
“what are you doing to ensure the oneness of the BODY OF a. Baptized into Christ…baptized into His death (Rom. 6:3-4).
CHRIST in your area?” If you have contributed to the division Discuss this essential baptism that makes you a member of
among God’s people, that must stop straightaway because it the BODY OF CHRIST.
will hinder God’s blessings and the flow of God’s power to you This one baptism into Christ (His body) means baptism into
and to the brethren. Have done with lesser things and put away His death. You cannot be said to have been baptized into
anything that will break our bands asunder. You cannot live in Christ’s body to be a member, except that you have been bap-
love if it is the flesh running your life. Pray that God will create tized into His death; and you died. So you were buried with
in you a passion for the oneness of the BODY OF CHRIST. Do Him and you were raised from the dead with him to walk in
nothing that will bring division and injure our oneness. newness of life.
Those who have experienced this one baptism, have the poten-
tial to operate in oneness; they are in Christ and Christ is in
each of them; so Christ in you and Christ in me cannot be di-
vided.
What is the implication for the believer in Christ Jesus? Study 1
In this section, we shall seek a biblical understanding of the meaning, the
Pet 3:21-22 (NIV, NLT, AMP)
implication, the basis and the means of the oneness of the BODY
OF CHRIST. Several persons have talked about the unity of the Water baptism is only a symbol and a public announcement
BODY OF CHRIST from superficial ecumenism, where we only that you have been baptized into Christ’s death and conse-
agree to disagree and look away from the fundamental things quently, His resurrection. It is not the washing of dirt away
that create incompatibility in our bonding together. from the body.
Others think unless we achieve organisational oneness, we are b. Discuss Gal 3:26-28 practically. How does this enhance the
not serious about unity. Unison is their own expectation of the oneness of the Body of Christ? What does it imply to “have put
unity of the BODY OF CHRIST. Others talk about uniformity- on Christ”?
uniformity of appearance, uniformity of liturgical services, uni- Once you are baptized into Christ and you experience death
formity of our methodology, uniformity of our speech and even with Christ, you have put on Christ. You are in Christ and
the dress we wear and several things that are external and out- Christ is in you. This will bring unity to the BODY OF CHRIST
ward. While any of these could be useful, they are not essential if we ensure that every believer experiences this.
to our oneness and they are not the essence of Christ’s prayer.
As we turn to the Scriptures, we will trust God to unveil to us Eph. 4:6, 6:23; Isa 63:16; Mal 2:10; Jn. 20:17; Jam.1:17-18.
His mind, His heart cry and desire for the oneness of His Body
on earth and the provisions He has made for it to come to pass God is the Father of all; the Father of all spirits. We have one
and how we must labour for it. Father. So you cannot excommunicate any child of God from
Read Eph. 4:1-6 and particularly verses 4-6. From this Scripture, the fatherhood of God. He is the Father of all, who is above all
and through all and in us all. If you are born of God by the
12 21
advance their knowledge of the truth in keeping with righteous- a. Identify and outline the dimensions of oneness we share in
ness. Any faith that promotes carelessness and sinful living is the BODY OF CHRIST.
not the faith of God’s elect. If we all have the same faith, we will b. Discuss the seven-fold oneness we essentially share in the
be united. Guard this faith by not being engaged in discussions BODY OF CHRIST as outlined below:
that do not bring edification in the faith. Do not get involved in
any teaching that does not make people grow in their faith in There is:
Christ. Any faith that does not increase your godliness accord
with righteousness, avoid it. Such will only bring division to the Rom.12:3-5; 1Cor. 12: 12-27; Eph. 3:4-6
BODY OF CHRIST. What can you explain about this fact that there is only one
c. Our Common Faith: Tit 1:4; 2Cor. 4:13 (NLT) body? 1Cor. 12:12; Eph. 2:15-16; Gal. 3:27-28.
The fact that we have many members does not mean we are not
It is our common faith, the same kind of faith the Psalmist had.
one body. And the fact that we do not have the same function
This faith has not changed; it is our common faith both in the
does not mean we are not members of one Body. This Biblical
Old and New Testaments
illustration with the human Body clearly shows this. The hu-
d. Like precious Faith: 2 Pet 1:1(AMP) - equally precious and man body is one body but it has many parts with different func-
of same value with the Apostles’ faith. tions. No matter how many members we are, we are one Body,
The faith once for all delivered unto the saints… Jud 1:3-4; Act just as it is with a normal human body.
4:12; Tit.1:1 (NLT). It is not incremental, changing and improv- Many have broken the BODY OF CHRIST into small bits and
ing, shifting and adjusting to accommodate new and modern ministries because they are gifted in one function; so they are
theories. It is once for all delivered to the saints, to be carried trying to specialise based on that gift and cut away from other
on, unedited, undiluted and unadulterated to everywhere, eve- parts of the BODY OF CHRIST. When you break away lpart of
ryone and every nation. Ancient but current, ageless but relevant His body like that, you cause great pain to Christ and His body.
The BODY OF CHRIST far surpasses the individual member’s
for all ages. Final and perfect, need not to be revised. There are no new
function. Your function does not make you superior to another
versions of the faith unless there be perversions of it. member of the body. No matter how great your function is, you
e. Your most holy faith: Jud 1:20; 2Tim 1:5; 1Tim 1:18-20; 6:12 What are only a member, not the entire Body. God set each member
are the things that could contaminate our faith and make the in the body as it pleases Him; so humble yourself. The BODY
faith a counterfeit. OF CHRIST transcends ethnicity or tribalism, education or so-
cial status. Such things mean nothing in Christ (Col. 3:10-11 LB).
The faith we are talking about is a holy faith, a faith that is ac- a. The Church is Christ’s Body and He does not have two
companied by good conscience. Any faith which is not accompa- bodies. Explain. Eph.1:22-23; 5:23,30; Col.1:24; 2:19; 3:15
nied by good conscience is not holy and it is not faith in Jesus
Explain why the diversities of members should not be the rea-
Christ. son for disunity but for unity in the Body. You may illustrate
this with the human body for our understanding.
Rom. 6:3-5; 1Cor. 12:12-13; Gal 3:26-28; Mk. 16:15-17; Matt 28:19. 1Cor.10:17; 12:7, 12-14, 27; Eph.4:25; Rom 12:5.
What is this one baptism and the essence of it? From the Scriptures above, highlight what it is that makes us
one body. Jn. 17:21-23
This “one baptism” is the baptism into the one BODY OF
CHRIST done by the Holy Spirit when anyone repents and be- By one Spirit we have all been baptised into one body, the
BODY OF CHRIST; and Christ is in us. Also we are one loaf.
lieves the gospel. It is the Holy Spirit, not anyone else, who im- What is inside another brother is what is in me: the same Spirit of
merses the believer into the BODY OF CHRIST, thus making Christ.
him a member, a part of the BODY OF CHRIST. It is this one

20 13
b. What must each one experience to make him or her a mem- communion, and devotion to the Lord are critical necessities to
ber of Christ’s Body and a member of one another? Jn. 17:21-23; engage for the oneness of the BODY OF CHRIST. Once we lose
1Cor. 12:13; Col. 1:27; 2Cor. 5:17 this connection to the Lord and draw our inspiration from any
other source outside Christ, we will cause confusion in the body
Christ must be in you and you must be in Christ for you to be a of Christ. It is thus your personal responsibility to see that you
member of the Body of Christ. This is a provision for us to be maintain your connection to the Lord, the Head. If it is the Lord
one. He prayed for His Body that they may be one as He and the that is guiding and directing us in all things, we will be in har-
Father are one. Anyone who does not have Christ in him and mony with one another.
who has not been baptised (immersed) into the BODY OF
d. It is only by Him and through Him and in Him we have ac-
CHRIST by the Holy Spirit does not belong to the BODY OF
cess to the Father and to one another in the household of
CHRIST. He may belong to a church denomination; but he does
faith: Eph. 2:18-22; Jn. 14: 6.
not belong to the BODY OF CHRIST.
Can you be a bad brother or sister to others and still have this
Also, the glory of God that Jesus carries, He has also bestowed access to the Father? 1Jn. 3:10-22. What does that imply con-
it upon His Body and it is to make us one. About the glory of cerning our unity?
Christ (Col. 1:27), Christ in you is the hope of glory. The glory
Your personal relationship with the Lord is what makes you
of Christ comes through the manifestation of the life of Christ
vitally relevant in the BODY OF CHRIST. You will cause disuni-
in a child of God. The glory He transferred to us is His life in
ty in the BODY OF CHRIST if you do not maintain your connec-
us. It is when the life of Christ is being manifested in us that the
tion with the Lord and with the brethren.
glory is seen in us and it is to make us one. If we each carry
Christ life everywhere, we shall be one, because the life in each
of us is one: the life of Christ. Christ cannot work contrary to Eph. 4:5,13; Tit. 1:1, 4; 2Pet 1:1 (LB); Jud 1:3, 20
Christ.
Taking each of these Scriptures into deep consideration, let us
C. How should we relate together in the body of Christ to show
define the various terms in which this one faith has been ex-
that we are one body?
pressed so as to gain further insight into the One faith to which
Jn. 13:35; 1Cor. 12:20-21, 25-26; Phil. 2:1-8(NKJV, MSG); Rom. 12:3- we have been called.
5, 1 Cor 3:1-5 a. One Faith… Not several faiths! Why not?
We should relate in love in the BODY OF CHRIST; we need each Eph. 4:5; Rom 3:26, 30 (NIV); 2Pet. 1:1 (LB); Gal. 1:6-10;
other. We must be sober in our thinking, according to the It is one same faith that each of us has received: faith in Jesus
measure of faith we have received. None of us should think Christ. It is a holy faith and it will promote holiness. There is
more highly of himself than he ought to. There should be no no other gospel that can bring that faith except the gospel of our
schism in the Body but we must have the same care for one an- Lord Jesus Christ except they have perverted the gospel. Even
other. Do not cling to anyone though he or she was used to if you were a preacher of the gospel before and then you
bring you up in the faith. It brings division. change, preaching another gospel, you are accursed. So nobody
has the right to adjust and restructure it; it is the same faith as
that of the apostles.
Jn.3:3-8; Rom.8:9,14-16; Eph. 2:18,22; 1Cor.12:13; Heb. 2:11 (NET, NJB)
b. The Faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgement of the
a. Discuss from the Scriptures above, this One Spirit by which truth which accords with godliness: Tit 1:1 (NET); 1Tim 1:4 (NLT,
we are born again and the Spirit that fuses us into the Body MSG)
as functional members. Gal 4:6; 1Pet. 1:11; Ezek. 11:19-20; Jer.
24:7; 32:39, Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30 We preachers are to encourage the faith of God’s elect, and to

14 19
damental beliefs and pattern of living will be the same. • We have one Spirit. This one Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, described as
the life of Christ and as the new heart in those other Scriptures. We
are of the same origin and the same stock as Christ. The Holy Spirit
Eph. 4:5; Act 2:36; 1Cor. 1:2; 8:6; Rom 14:7-9; Jn. 10:14-16 particularly unites and gives us the same identity in Christ.
a. He has been appointed the Lord of all. Col.1:15-19; Col 2:6-10, He is the stamp of ownership of the Father. He is the evi-
18-19; Heb.1:1-3 dence of the life of Christ that we received and the assur-
ance that we can live that life consistently until the redemp-
What is the implication of this for the Church? tion of the purchased possession to the Glory of God. With-
The entire BODY OF CHRIST has only one Lord: the Lord Je- out the Holy Spirit, there is no assurance that one can live
sus Christ. We can claim the lordship of Christ over all things the life of Christ. We are one because of the life of Christ
for the purpose of the kingdom of God. Also, we should not al- that we have in us, which the Holy Spirit operates.
low anything, including angels, to lord it over us. Let Jesus be
Even the prophets of old had the Spirit of Christ, even when He
Lord over your life. If every believer allows Jesus to be the Lord
had not yet come in the flesh. This is what makes us common
over his/her life, there will be unity in the BODY OF CHRIST.
with our patriarchs. It is the Holy Spirit inside of us that makes
b. Jesus has been raised and seated at God’s right hand far God know that we are his own.
above all. Eph.1:20-23; Phil 2:9-11; Mk. 4:41. Explore the extent of
b. How can we operate in oneness of the Spirit? Phil. 1:27; Jn.
His lordship. 16:14; Col. 1:10; Tit. 1:9; 1Cor. 2:2
Jesus Christ is Lord of all. He is also Lord over the Church, His
Body. The lordship of Christ over us is for our shepherding. He • If we stand firm in one Spirit: in the life of Christ, (that is,
is the one through whom we get supplies to bless each other. It in the Spirit of Christ), the character of Christ will be mani-
is in Him we have authority to operate. It is in His power we festing in us. It shows that we are one in Spirit. To operate
have power. Submitting to His lordship over us is for our bene- as one in Spirit, each one will glorify Christ always, not the
fit because without Him we can do nothing. His lordship is vital flesh or any other person; also, we will always seek to make
for us and He is not a benefactor, seeking to take advantage of us. Jesus Lord. To be one in Spirit, we should also hold fast to
His lordship is the kind that gives rather than receives. You the faithful word of God and not depart from it; this will
must understand your need of Him and let Him be Lord over enable us to exhort and convict those who contradict us.
your life. If each of us accepts his lordship over our lives, we Each of us must continue to increase in the knowledge of
will not be divided because He is not an author of confusion. God so that we can contribute to the growth of the BODY
OF CHRIST. Read Philippians 1:27 again - Whatever hap-
C. He is the Vine; we are His branches and so totally depend-
pens, wherever we are, we must keep living our lives based
ent on Him. Jn. 15:1-7; Eph. 4:15-16 How does this prove His
on the reality of the gospel we received.
lordship over us all in the body of Christ?
When we keep doing this, we will see that everywhere we find
Without Him, we can do nothing. Our dependence on Him in all
ourselves - students, teachers, doctors - there will be oneness in
things proves His Lordship over us.
our midst. Cultural, ethnic, color and educational boundaries
How should we then relate with one another in the BODY OF will be broken down because, in Christ Jesus, all these things
CHRIST since Jesus is the one Lord over us? Rom. 12:3-4,
mean nothing.
Phil. 2:1-5 (KJV, MSG); Rom. 14:10
c. All who cause division in the body of Christ are sensual and
None of us is lord over another. Jesus Christ is the Lord and judge of all.
carnal: Jude 1:19-21; 1 Cor. 3:1-5; Gal 5:15,20-21 (NKJV, LB); Jam
We should relate with each other humbly and soberly. Each of us must
3:14-17
continue to realize that it is our connection to the Lord that
makes us relevant. Our personal relationship, submission, Every clinging to men is carnal and it will only bring division to

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the BODY OF CHRIST. Even if God used brethren to help your pearing and when He comes, He will take us to Himself so that
life, you must not use that to bring division. And as one whom where He is, there we will be also.
God uses to help others, do not take them as your personal
property; they belong to Christ. Each of the works of the flesh The unity of the BODY OF CHRISTis in all these dimensions of
in Gal. 5 is a sign of carnality; it will cause division. Run away oneness. Our knowledge and understanding of all this oneness
from them. is what will restore unity to the BODY OF CHRIST.
d. The hope of the Gospel, the hope of glory: Col 1: 5, 23-27; Rom
5:2-5; Gal 5:5-6
Eph.4:4, 1:18-19; Col.1:3-6, 23,27; Act 23:6; 24:15; 26:6-8.
The gospel brings us hope: the hope of glory. We have the hope
From these Scripture above and others hereunder, discuss
your understanding of the One hope of our calling. that we will experience the glory of God as we allow Christ to live
His life in us. We must not be timid about re-stating the true gos-
a. Christ Himself is our one living hope: Jer.14:8, 17:7; 1Tim pel. We must not be timid about preaching the gospel according
1:1; 1Pet 1:3-4, 21. Eph. 2:12. to the Scriptures. This is what will bring about the unity we de-
Christ is our hope and that is common to all believers and He sire.
is the One who gives us hope. He is the hope of Israel. Unbeliev- Col 1:5-6 says,
ers are hopeless. They are without hope and without God in
because of the hope, which is laid up for you in heaven, of which
this world. But we are not hopeless.
you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has
b. The Hope of Resurrection and of eternal life: Tit. 1:1-3; 1Cor. come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing
15:12-25, 50-58; 2Cor. 4:14; I Thess. 4:13-18; Act 23:6; 24:15. forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and
knew the grace of God in truth.
The hope of resurrection and eternal life is common to all in
the BODY OF CHRIST. If the church will keep being one, we The gospel has the power to bring the same effect on this gener-
must keep preaching about the hope of resurrection to each ation as it did in the time of the early church. It produces the
other. We will rise again even if we die. Christ died and rose same result everywhere! We must be committed to teaching it
again; so we will rise again from the dead. Many, including because this is what will make the church what God wants it to
Paul, saw the resurrected Lord. No matter what happens to us be. We must avoid teaching empty philosophies but give our-
in this world, good or bad, we have the hope of resurrection selves to teaching the word of God. This is what has the capaci-
and of eternal life. This is one thing that binds us together as ty to bring about oneness in the body of Christ.
the BODY OF CHRIST. We must keep speaking about this to e. How should we behave ourselves as members of the BODY
each other. Anything that does not unify the Body of Christ OF CHRIST to show the oneness of our hope? 1Thess. 4:13-
must be dropped to preach this. 14, 18; 1Jn. 3:3 (MSG):
c. The Hope of His appearing that will transform our mortal “All of us who look forward to his coming stay ready, with the
bodies to be as He is and launch us into an incorruptible inher- glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own”. 1Jn. 3:3
itance reserved in heaven for us. Jn. 14:1-3; 1Jn.3:1-3 (MSG); 1Pet MSG
1:3-4; 1Cor. 15:52; Tit.2:13-14; Matt 25:34; 2Tim 4:8. The hope of His appearing makes us to have Christ’s life as our
Jesus is coming back again to take us home. We have the hope pattern and model of life and this model unites us and brings
of His appearing. Our unity is not because we are planning and us together. And if all of us pattern our lives after Christ, we
arranging it. We already have things that bind us together. One will be united. If this hope is in us, then we will be one in our
of them is that Christians everywhere have the hope of his ap- pursuit, even if we belong to different denominations. Our fun-

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