School For Life Course Manual

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1 T H E G O O D N E W S C H U R C H School For Life Course Manual C O P Y R I G H T M A T T H E W & S U S A N J U D D School For Life Course Manual Published by Good News Church PO Box Augusta, GA Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover (including graphic images) may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written consent of the Publisher. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Additional sources: The Word Study Bible, Copyright 1990, Harrison House, Inc. PO Box 35035, Tulsa, OK Why Tongues?, by Kenneth E. Hagin, Copyright 1975 RHEMA Bible Church AKA Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc., PO Box 50126, Tulsa, OK Bible Prayer Study Course, by Kenneth E. Hagin, Copyright 1991 RHEMA Bible Church AKA Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc., PO Box 50126, Tulsa, OK How You Can Be Led by the Spirit of God, by Kenneth E. Hagin, Copyright 1989 RHEMA Bible Church AKA Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc., PO Box 50126, Tulsa, OK The Life logo is a trademark of School For Life registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and therefore may not be duplicated.

2 Contents Abundant Life Course Manual Table of Contents ABUNDANT LIFE OUTLINES GOD S GREAT PLAN FOR YOU.1 GOD S GOOD NEWS FOR YOU.4 HAVING FAITH IN GOD 7 DEVELOPING A LIFE OF PRAYER 10 THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.13 THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.16 HEALING BELONGS TO YOU..19 GOD S PLAN FOR YOUR PROSPERITY..22 RESOURCES HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE 25 HELPFUL HINTS IN YOUR BIBLE STUDY.25 SUGGESTED STUDY TOOLS 26 METHODS OF STUDY..26 WHO YOU ARE IN HIM 30 PAUL S PRAYERS.39 TOPICAL SCRIPTURE LIST..43 CLASS MAKE-UP FORMS..55

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4 G O D S G R E A T P L A N F O R Y O U God s Great Plan for You Session 1 From His overwhelming love came forth an awesome plan. D id you know that God loves you... really loves you? In His love, He created an extraordinary path for your life here on earth. Banish the wondering thoughts about whether or not God will give you a good life. He already has! Enjoy His love-gifts for you by learning how to deliberately choose this blessed destiny day by day. God Has a Specific Plan for Your Life God created man on purpose, for a purpose. God has a purpose and a plan for you. He created you and gifted you to fulfill that purpose. For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Jeremiah 29:11 (Amplified Bible) His plan will lead to a much better life for you than your own plan. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 God s plan (His will) for all people, including you, is revealed in His word (the Bible). To know His will for you, you must study His word and see what He has said about His plan for you. His Plan Is Born of His Love For You God s plan for you is always in line with His nature. His very nature is love. The greatest expression of His identity is that He is love. For God is love. I John 4:8b A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E - 1 -

5 G O D S G R E A T P L A N F O R Y O U God s motivation in His plan for you is His love for you. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 Jesus taught that God the Father actually loves you as much as He loves Jesus. I am praying not only for these disciples, but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony then the world will know that You sent Me and will understand that You love them as much as You love Me. John 17:20, 23b New Living His Plan For You is the Abundant Life Jesus clearly defined the quality of life in God s plan for you: I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 Definition of Abundantly: superabundance, excessive, overflowing, surplus, over and above, more than enough, profuse, extraordinary, above the ordinary, more than sufficient Definition of the Abundant Life: a life that supersedes the ordinary life you would normally live; an over and above life that overflows with good God Has a Benefit Package for You The Bible s word for God s benefit package is salvation. Definition of Salvation: deliverance, preservation, liberation, safety, soundness, prosperity, well being, wholeness Salvation is God s free gift to you. You don t deserve it. You can t earn it. You could never be good enough for it. It is available only by God s grace. Grace means you weren t capable of getting it for yourself, so Jesus got it for you and gave it to you as a gift. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8,9 A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E - 2 -

6 G O D S G R E A T P L A N F O R Y O U What is included in God s benefit plan for you? You get to be a whole new person, created anew in Christ Jesus. Your past is wiped out. You have a clean slate and a fresh start in life. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Your benefit plan includes healing from all sickness and health for your whole body. By His stripes your were healed (Greek: physically healed). 1 Peter 2:24b Financial provision is part of His plan for you. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 The most valuable commodity on Planet Earth, peace, is yours through salvation. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 Strength and God s ability added onto yours are available to you in this benefit plan found in Christ. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 This benefit package of salvation covers all things that you need to live the life God has planned for you to live -- everything! As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness 2 Peter 1:3a Signing on for the benefit plan is simple. All that is required is your faith in the plan and your authorization of the plan. That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10 A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E - 3 -

7 G O D S G O O D N E W S F O R Y O U God s Good News For You Session 2 The Good News is too good to be true - almost!. T he power of God is in that simple Gospel story that has been told in stained glass cathedrals and in thatched roof huts. The news that God sent His only son to dies for the sins of wicked men, to redeem them from the cruelest of taskmasters. It s the stuff of fairy tales to be sure, but it can hardly be told without one wondering how can it be? How could one so great willingly die for such wretched souls? But indeed He did. Thank God He did! The Good News is All About Jesus Before Jesus, there was little good news. The Gospels (which mean good news ) start with Jesus and record His life and ministry. The Old Testament paved the way for Jesus. There were prophecies and foreshadowing, but anything good that happened under the Old Covenant pales in comparison to what happened in Christ. The Good News is the message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and the results of all that. Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures 1Corinthians 15:1,3-4 The Substitute at Calvary From the time that Adam sinned, man had lived under the curse of sin. We had no escape. Sin came through our birth. Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus sin spread to all men, because all sinned Romans 5:12 A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E - 4 -

8 G O D S G O O D N E W S F O R Y O U Sin separated man from God, creating a gulf between man and God. Sin brought death upon man, including all its symptoms and predecessors (sickness, weakness, abnormality, lack, poverty). For the wages of sin is death Romans 6:23 Someone had to be punished for our sins. Jesus was the only one who qualified to pay the price, so He took our place, suffered our pain and bore our punishment. JESUS BECAME OUR SUBSTITUTE. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed His stricken by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:4-6 But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 The Great Exchange Not only did Jesus substitute Himself for us and take the punishment that was due us, but He then made us anew in Himself (in Christ) so that we might enjoy all the goodness that is due Him. For He (the Father God) made Him who knew no sin (Jesus) to be sin for us (includes you) that we (includes you) might become the righteousness of God in Him (Christ Jesus). 2 Corinthians 5:21 He became sin for us so that we could be righteous as He is. To be righteous means to have been made right with God. Righteousness speaks of our good relationship and favored position with God. Another example of how Jesus exchanged what He had for what we had so that we could have what He had: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes, He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E - 5 -

9 G O D S G O O D N E W S F O R Y O U Your New Identity In Christ In Christ, In Him, In Whom, By Him, By Whom, With Christ, With Him are all words that speak of your new identity in Christ. There is no more you. The old you died and the new you lives in Christ. I have been crucified with Christ, and I live now not with my own life but with the life of Christ who lives in me Galatians 2:20 Jer. Because we died with Him and have risen with Him, we have been set free from the dominion of sin and death. No longer do we have to sin. And, because we are no longer counted guilty of sin, we aren t due any of the penalty of sin (death). Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. (And since we are in Him, it no longer has dominion over us, either!!!) Romans 6:6-9 In Christ, you are privileged. You are seated with Him in heavenly places (at the right hand of God) so that you can enjoy the goodness of God firsthand. But God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7 You have the same position before God that Jesus has. Everything that Jesus did, you can do. When you pray in His name, based on His Word, Heaven responds as if Jesus Himself were making the request. Read through the New Testament, particularly through Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians and look for the In Christ scriptures so you can see who you really are. A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E - 6 -

10 H A V I N G F A I T H I N G O D Having Faith In God Session 3 For the just shall live by his faith in God... Romans 1:17 T his whole life of faith began when one day you finally admitted to yourself (and perhaps to others) that Jesus really is Lord of all, that God really did raise Him from the dead. That admission launched this journey, this life of faith. Where it will take you, only He knows, but it is bound to be a wild adventure that demands your total reliance on Him. Faith Is Not Complicated Faith: trust, confidence, conviction, belief, reliance, persuasion Faith is being convinced of something to the point you are willing to act on it as truth. To have faith in God is to be convinced of His Word to the point that you are willing to act on it or depend on it as truth. That is putting your trust in God or believing God. To have faith in the Bible (God s Word) is to read it as if its promises were written to you by the most trustworthy person you know. If you can have faith in people, then you are capable of having faith in God. How much more does He deserve our trust? Our faith in God is not based on what our physical senses perceive but on what He says to us in His Word. The biggest challenge of faith is getting passed your dependence on your senses and learning to trust in someone you cannot see with your natural eyes. For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 Now faith is the betting of your life on unseen realities. Hebrews 11:1 Cotton Patch Translation A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E - 7 -

11 H A V I N G F A I T H I N G O D Our Faith Connects Us To God To receive salvation, the only thing required of us was faith. God did all the work for us, and we get all the benefits. Our part is the faith. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 We were saved by grace. Grace is unmerited favor. We didn t do anything to deserve salvation, but He gave it to us anyway because He loved us. Even the faith which we use to connect to Him is a gift from Him. Salvation is the benefit package that contains everything that Jesus has so generously provided for us. The method through which we initially received salvation is the same method we use to receive everything that has been provided for us in salvation. How exactly were we saved? But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:8-10 Two things are required for you to be born again: Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead The Heart and Mouth Connection The heart and mouth are fundamentally connected in the salvation process. Both are involved in activating the benefit plan. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:10 Faith has to be in both places: in the heart and in the mouth. If it is only in one or the other, the process is not complete. No results. A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E - 8 -

12 H A V I N G F A I T H I N G O D How does faith get in the heart and mouth? So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17 Faith is actually encapsulated in God s Word. When you hear His Word (or read it because then you hear it in your mind) and receive it, faith is deposited in your heart. To have faith in God for something, you have to have His Word on it. You have to know His will on the subject. Your faith can only begin where and when His will is known. Using Your Faith To Change Your Life Move mountains (obstacles, hindrances) out of your way by speaking to them to go. So Jesus answered and said to them, Have faith in God. (How?) For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Mark 11:22-23 Speak things into existence in your life like God does. He (God) calls those things which do not exist as though they did. Romans 4:17 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:3 God said and it was. Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20,24,26 Because words created this natural realm (the earth and everything in it including the materials that make-up your body), everything in this natural realm responds to spoken words. Things will respond to your words. So the Lord said, If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, Be pulled up by the roots and be planted into the sea and it would obey you. Luke 17:6 A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E - 9 -

13 D E V E L O P I N G A L I F E O F P R A Y E R Developing A Life of Prayer One prayer breathed by a man upon the earth can move all of heaven to act. W hat a privilege we have in prayer! To think that nobody s from nowhere (the people we once were) now have the right to go boldly to our Father God, Our Heavenly Daddy, and talk life s matters over with Him. To listen in on heaven s plans. To find the help we so desperately need. Prayer is Talking to God Prayer: communing with God, inquiring of Him, fellowship Prayer is no dreary performance, dead and death-dealing, but it is God s enabling act for man, living and life-giving, joy and joy-giving. Prayer is the contact of a living soul with God. In prayer, God stoops to kiss man, to bless man, and to aid man in everything that God can devise or man can need. E. M. Bounds So much of what has been practiced as prayer is based on tradition. The Bible, God s Word, is the guidebook (the how-to book) on prayer. The Basics of Prayer Session 4 You can offer prayers that are sure to be answered by God. Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15 Prayers that are effective come from hearts that are confident towards God. If we ask anything according to His will His will is revealed in His Word. We A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

14 D E V E L O P I N G A L I F E O F P R A Y E R could say If we ask anything in agreement with His Word, then HE HEARS US! Once we know He hears us, then we know we have whatever we have asked. See yourself receiving from God when you petition Him. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Mark 11:24 Prayer is the point of transfer, the time at which you take possession. If you believed you received, there s no need to ask again. Just say, Thanks! Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 When you pray (when you ask) in the name of Jesus, you open the door for God to work in your life and authorize His will to be done. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father my be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:13-14 It seems God is limited by our prayer life - that He can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks Him. John Wesley In Matthew 6:10, Jesus prayed, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. This indicates that the will of God is not automatically done on earth. The Various Kinds of Prayer Not all prayers are the same type nor do they have the same purpose. The Bible teaches different ways to pray depending on the purpose of the prayer you are offering. Use every kind of prayer and entreaty Ephesians 6:18 Goodspeeds s Prayer of Faith: a prayer of petition to receive what God has already promised and provided for us in His Word. Prayer of Consecration: a prayer to dedicate your life to God s use. Jesus said, Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done. Luke 22:42 A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

15 D E V E L O P I N G A L I F E O F P R A Y E R This is the only time when we would pray if it be thy will because we don t fully know all the facets of God s specific plan for us. Prayer of Agreement: to join with another believer of like faith in prayer and agree (say the same thing) together on what God s Word promises you. Jesus said, Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in Heaven. Matthew 18:19 When you are faced with something bigger than you, find someone to agree. Look for someone strong in faith in whatever area you are being challenged. Ask together. Pray together. Thank God together. Prayer of Supplication: a prayer for fellow believers, praying that their needs will be met (be supplied ) or that they will fulfill God s plans and purposes for them (make their supply ). The earnest heartfelt, continued prayer (supplication) of a righteous man makes tremendous power available, dynamic in its working. James 5:16 Amplified Paul prayed prayers of supplications for the churches that we should pray for ourselves and others regularly. Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:14-21; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-14 Prayer of Intercession: a prayer for the lost that stands in the gap between them and God, praying what they cannot pray for themselves. Prayer of Commitment: a prayer to cast your cares upon the Lord. Casting the whole of your cares, all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 Peter 5:7 Amplified United Prayer: Christians praying together, unified in purpose. Praise and Worship: prayers that magnify God, boast of Him, celebrate and exalt Him, reverence and adore Him. Prayer in the Spirit: praying in tongues, inspired by the Holy Spirit. A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

16 T H E L E A D I N G O F T H E H O L Y S P I R I T The Leading of the Holy Spirit W e have inside information. Wherever we go, whomever we see, there is always more going on than meets the eye. But the all-knowing, all-seeing One lives on the inside of us, and He s feeding us the critical bits of information that we have to know to overcome in life. Wow! The Holy Spirit: God s Guide In Us A marvelous result of the New Birth is that God came to live in man. Under the Old Covenant (in the Old Testament), God only came on the priest, prophet, or king, and, even then, only for a moment. The common man had no hope of contact with God. Since He now lives in us, He now serves as an inner guide for us. Jesus said: However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13 Learning to Follow His Leading Session 5 Learning to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit is a process. The first step in learning His leading is to follow the written Word. Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:103 The Holy Spirit s leading in your life will always agree with the Scriptures. He will never lead you to do anything contrary to His Word. As you endeavor to obey the written Word, the Holy Spirit will begin to speak to you through the Word and reveal more specific direction for your life. God communicates to us spirit to spirit, not through our minds or bodies. He lives in our spirits and that s where He speaks to us. A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

17 T H E L E A D I N G O F T H E H O L Y S P I R I T The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord Proverbs 20:27 The Holy Spirit is ever leading us into all the benefits God provided for us in salvation, the benefits we can enjoy as children of God. If we fail to follow Him, we ll miss out on what God has for us. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons (and daughters) of God. Romans 8:14 To follow Him, we must first hear Him. Hearing God is much simpler than it has been made out to be. If you have an assurance of salvation, then you have heard from the Spirit of God. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:16 As He bears witness with our spirit, He is verifying with us that we are doing the right thing or going the right way. Luke, the writer of Acts, expressed the leading of the Holy Spirit in these words: it seemed right. Acts 15:34 When the Holy Spirit is leading you, it just seems right on the inside; it s not based on reasoning or logic, but based on how your insides, the real you (you are a spirit, after all) seems to be responding. The best way to make sure you are following the leading of the Holy Spirit is to follow peace. Establish peace in your life. When you are making decisions, look for peace. Let peace rule on your choices. And let the peace from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts (deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds ) Colossians 3:15 AMP Start out by taking non-committal baby-steps. If you have peace there, take another step. At each step, check your peace level. Don t override your peace. Don t let people bully you. Don t let time push you. Take the time you need to get peace before making a commitment. Any leading you have from the Holy Spirit should be judged in light of the written Word. The Bible is the final authority. The Holy Spirit will always agree (say the same thing) with the Word. A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

18 T H E L E A D I N G O F T H E H O L Y S P I R I T Test all things. Hold fast what is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 How the Holy Spirit Does NOT Lead Us God does not lead His people by circumstances (like open doors/closed doors ). In the Old Testament, since God had no way to communicate spirit-to-spirit with people, the only way He could speak to them was through natural circumstances. However, now He lives in us and leads us from the inside. Sometimes He leads us to go through doors that are closed, and some open doors are just traps or distractions from the enemy. Never in the New Testament are we taught to ask for a natural sign to indicate God s will for us. Some people call this putting out a fleece. Instead, we are taught to live by the inward witness. In Acts 1:26, it is recorded that the 11 remaining disciples cast lots to decide who would replace Judas. Once the Holy Spirit came upon them in Acts 2, never again was this practice mentioned again. They no longer needed to cast lots because they had the Holy Spirit on the inside to guide them. The Holy Spirit does not lead through prophecy (a God-inspired utterance) given by another person or even a minister. That is not the New Testament purpose for prophecy; prophecy is for edification (charging up like a battery) and exhortation and comfort. 1 Corinthians 14:3 It is uncommon for the Holy Spirit to work through your dreams to guide you. It might happen on occasion, but if and when it ever does, you will not have to seek the interpretation. People have gotten off into strange doctrines in trying to interpret their dreams. Very rarely does the Holy Spirit lead people in a spectacular way like a divine appearance, an open vision or an angelic visitation. These things are not promised to us in the Scriptures and should not be sought. Remember, most cults began after their leaders had what they thought to be angelic appearances. A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

19 T H E B A P T I S M O F T H E H O L Y S P I R I T The Baptism of the Holy Spirit O ne of the most misunderstood experiences in the scripture is also one of the most vital and precious. The intent of the Father is that every one of His kids be living dynamos, filled with His power, doing the same works Jesus did. That s why He wants to immerse us in Himself! The Promise of the Holy Spirit Session 6 Jesus told His disciples that the Father was going to send the Holy Spirit to live with them forever. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, one called to Help) that He may abide with you forever. John 14:16 Jesus was saying here that the Father will send one besides Me and in addition to Me but one just like Me. He will do in My absence what I would do if I were physically present with you. Word Wealth, Spirit Filled Life Bible In fact, Jesus said it is better for us to have the Holy Spirit than to have Jesus here with us personally in the flesh. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. John 16:7 Until this point, Jesus followers had looked to Him to meet their needs, to dispense God s power, and to speak for God. Jesus was introducing a new way God wanted to work: not just through one person (as He did in Jesus), but through many persons (as He could if He empowered others in the same way that He had d Jesus). And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

20 T H E B A P T I S M O F T H E H O L Y S P I R I T with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. But YOU shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:4-8 The reason for the Holy Spirit coming upon us is so that we can receive power the same power those who were hearing Him had seen on Him. The foremost reason for the power of God coming upon you is so that you can be a witness (someone who can produce evidence.) God never intended that we reach people only through persuasive words, but He sent us His Spirit so we would have power in our lives to bear witness of Him. What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? Baptize: to immerse. When you are born again, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside you. When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, He comes from within you, out up-on you. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is the experience of being immersed in and overflowed by the Spirit of God until He affects your flesh. Jesus said salvation was like a fountain springing up within you....but the water that I give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.. John 4:14 Jesus compared the baptism of the Holy Spirit to rivers of living water flowing out of your innermost being. out of His heart will flow rivers of living water. John 7:38 The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a manifestation of God s Spirit that produces supernatural (beyond the natural) experiences in people. When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 When they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke with tongues. A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

21 T H E B A P T I S M O F T H E H O L Y S P I R I T This baptism is an experience that comes after salvation. When Peter and John went to Samaria, they found people who had already received the word of God and been baptized (referring to water baptism) in the name of Jesus, but when the apostles laid hands on them, they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:14-17 Why Speak in Other Tongues? Tongues are the initial sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God Acts 10:44-46 When speaking in tongues, you are in direct contact with God, talking about things that no man understands, things that are considered to be divine secrets. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 1 Corinthians 14:2 He who speaks in a tongue edifies (to charge like a battery) himself. 1 Corinthians 14:4 Praying in tongues allows us to pray in line with God s will. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (referring to tongues). Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27 A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

22 H E A L I N G B E L O N G S T O Y O U Healing Belongs To You Session 7 Healing is salvation working in your body! W ill He or won t He? Isn t that the question? Few doubt that God can heal, but few are convinced He will. Truth is, He redeemed your body at the same time He saved you from sin. As much as He wants you saved, He wants you well. Healing Is God s Will For You How can we know God s will? God gave us His Word to reveal His will to us. We cannot determine God s will from experience or tradition, from Grandma or Pastor Bob, from Christian television or Charisma magazine. The only sure way to find the will of God is to study the Word of God (the Bible) to see what He has said. There are three places in the scripture we can look to see God s perfect will for man: the Garden of Eden before the fall of man, Heaven, and the ministry of Jesus. In the first chapters of Genesis, when the Garden is described, there is no mention of any sickness or disease. God created man according to His own will and purpose. If He had wanted man sick, He would have made Him sick from the beginning. It was Adam s sin that opened him (and thus all humanity) up to the curse of sickness. For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23 In the scriptures that refer to Heaven, no one there is depicted as sick or infirm. Jesus prayed, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Matthew 6:10 A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

23 H E A L I N G B E L O N G S T O Y O U (We can see from His prayer that the will of God is not necessarily being done on earth, but that it is being done in Heaven.) In John 6:38, Jesus said, For I have come down from Heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me Concerning the ministry of Jesus, Acts 10:38 states that He went about doing good and healing all. There is no record that He ever told anyone who came to Him for healing, NO! Jesus forever settled the question of whether it is God s will to heal when He told the leper who came and questioned His willingness, I will. When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean. Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed. Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matthew 8:1-3 Sickness Comes From satan How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 When Jesus saw a woman bent over who couldn t raise herself up, it made Him angry. So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom satan has bound think of it for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath? Luke 13:16 Sickness is a tool the devil uses to steal, kill and destroy and is a contradiction to the abundant life that Jesus came to give us. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 God Has Always Provided Healing For His People He said to the children of Israel, For I am the Lord who heals you. Exodus 15:26b In the ministry of Jesus, the healing power of God was dispensed freely. Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

24 H E A L I N G B E L O N G S T O Y O U every sickness and every disease among the people. Matthew 9:35 Jesus commissioned His followers in His Name to go preach the Good News and lay hands on the sick who would then recover. Go into all the world and preach the gospel lay hands on the sick and they will recover. Mark 16:15b,18b Is anyone among you sick (literally beyond helping themselves)? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. James 5:14-15a Jesus Paid For Our Healing and Gave It To Us Because sin came on mankind as a result of Adam s sin, someone had to pay the penalty and bear the punishment to redeem us out from under sin and all that came on us as a result of sin, including sickness. That s what Jesus did when He suffered, bled, and died at Calvary. Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses) and carried our sorrows (pains); yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace (literally wholeness, nothing missing nothing broken) was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (and made whole. AMP.) Isaiah 53:44-5 He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. Matthew 8:17b By His stripes, you were healed (Greek: physically healed). 1 Peter 2:24 You are not a sick person trying to get your healing. Your healing is an accomplished fact; it was settled at the cross. When you were born again, you received in your salvation package a benefit called healing, and now it belongs to you. You are entitled to it. Healing cannot be earned any more than any other part of salvation can. Healing comes by grace, through faith, just as every benefit of your salvation. It is God s gift to you, given because He loves you. A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

25 G O D S P L A N F O R Y O U R P R O S P E R I T Y God s Plan for Your Prosperity Of course God s going to provide for you He s your Father! A ny decent father would do everything possible to take care of his kids. It just so happens that your daddy has unlimited resources if He s out of it, He can make more, if no man has it, He can send birds to find it, if birds can t find it, He can rain it down from the heavens. God Intends For You To Prosper Session 8 The Apostle John, expressing the heart of Our Heavenly Father prayed, Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things 3 John 2 Definition of Prosper: to flourish, thrive, succeed at something desirable; to grow in a vigorous way; to do better. God s plan for your financial provision: that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation.] 2 Corinthians 9:8b AMP Because the Father wanted us set free from poverty and lack, He sent Jesus as a substitute for us so that we could live better lives. Jesus became poor so that we, through His poverty, might be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 Why God Wants You To Prosper God provides for us because we are His children and He loves us. Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

26 G O D S P L A N F O R Y O U R P R O S P E R I T Y Matthew 6:26 He Who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32 God s plan is to bless us so that we can be a blessing to others. He said to Abraham: I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. Genesis 12:2 He empowers us to get wealth so that we can use it to establish His covenant on the earth through financing Kingdom work and the preaching of the Gospel. And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant Deuteronomy 8:18 The Law of Sowing and Reaping From creation, God intended all of mankind s needs to be met through seedtime and harvest. And God said, See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Genesis 1:29 Jesus said: The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come. Mark 4::26-29 When writing on the subject of offerings, the Apostle Paul wrote: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6 In this passage, sowing means giving money or material things, giving for the sake of the gospel, giving to others, or giving to charitable works. The scriptures promise that God will multiply the money you give (the seed you sow) and you will receive a harvest. Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

27 H E A L I N G B E L O N G S T O Y O U and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality which cases thanksgiving through us to God. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 Prosperity Begins With Tithing Tithing is the practice of giving God the first dime of every dollar of increase that comes into your hands: from what you earn, from what you profit when you sell something, from what someone gives you, from interest earnings, from any increase that you experience. The principle of tithing began in the Garden of Eden when God commanded man to care for all the trees but to not eat from one kind of tree. That tree was managed and overseen (stewarded) by man, but he wasn t allowed to use it for his own needs. That is how the tithe works. We labor for it. We manage it. We oversee its distribution, but it doesn t belong to us. And all the tithe is the Lord s. It is holy (set apart, set aside) to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30 Tithing has always been a part of God s relationship with His people. 430 years before the Law of Moses, Abraham gave tithes (see Genesis 14:20). The children of Israel continued the practice of tithing (see Numbers 18:21). Now, we bring our tithes to men and women who are doing God s work, but Jesus is the one we give them to. Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. Hebrews 7:8 Tithing will benefit you tremendously. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10 Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the firstfruits of all your increase (tithes); so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats (businesses, vocations) will overflow with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10 A B U N D A N T L I F E C O U R S E

28 Resources How to Study the Bible God s Word is your text - His Spirit your tutor. T he Bible is our guidebook or manual on how to live successfully for God and enforce victory over the devil. The Bible reveals the truth about God, records His plan to rescue man, shows the only way to salvation, explains how to deal with the problem of sin, and explores new life in Christ Jesus. II Timothy 3:16,17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. The Bible, in proper use, is to be read daily, consulted constantly, and studied carefully. The inspired Word of God will confirm our beliefs, set spiritual and moral guidelines, give us wisdom for living, and instruct us in the ways of the kingdom of God (God s ways of doing things). Our physical bodies need food to live and so do our spirits. The Word of God feeds us spiritually. Matthew 4:4 It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Helpful Hints in Your Bible Study Remember that the Holy Spirit is your teacher. He lives within every person who is born again, and chief among His jobs is training you in the Word. Expect Him to teach you as you study

29 H O W T O S T U D Y T H E B I B L E John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Approach your study with an open heart and mind. Be teachable. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring alive the Word to you so that it has meaning for you for that day. Sometimes studying can be hard work. Understanding may or may not come quickly on the verses or passages you are studying. Keep at it until understanding comes. Write down what the Holy Spirit is teaching you in a notebook or journal. This will help you with future references and keep you in focus on what you are studying. Write in your Bible to help you remember where passages are and make notes that may be helpful in future study. Personal study time does not replace worship and teaching services but rather adds to them. Be sure you keep connected in corporate gatherings. Find a consistent time and place to study. You may start out studying for just five minutes a day. The key is consistency. Look for truth you can act on. The more of God s Word you can act on, the more success you will have in life. If you have difficulty locating the books of the Bible, find the table of contents in the front of your Bible that tells you on what page each book begins. Make a photocopy of it and keep it in your Bible so that you can refer to it while you study or as the pastor ministers. Suggested Study Tools Modern Bible Translations These are Bibles translated into the contemporary English we speak. The King James Version was translated into Old English more than 300 years ago and it is often difficult too understand today. We recommend The Spirit-Filled Life Bible by Nelson Publishing in the New King James version. Other Bibles we refer to include the Amplified Bible, the New Living Translation, and The Message Bible. Study Bibles can be very helpful in providing more history and background information for the books of the Bible, Bible characters, and word meanings. A Bible Concordance such as Strong s You can use this to do individual word studies or to study particular subjects, such as love, peace, joy, etc. If you want to find a verse where you remember part of the Scripture but you do not remember the reference, a concordance will assist you in locating that verse. A Bible dictionary such as Eerdman s Use this to look up word meanings or to find more information about Bible characters

30 H O W T O S T U D Y T H E B I B L E An expository dictionary such as Vine s Here you can look up words in original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) to get an expanded meaning of a word and to compare the usage of the words. Also, Webster s Dictionary can be very helpful when looking up words to find meanings. Methods of Study 1. Daily Devotions Study your Bible until the pages wear out! Make it a workbook that you mark in as you work with it and glean great wisdom for living. As you study, ask the Holy Spirit what the Father has for you and what truth you are to learn today. Mark those passages that are meaningful. This will allow you to remember how you have grown spiritually when you read that passage in the future. Remember this is God talking to you personally through letters. Look at it that way and you will find it much more meaningful. Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 2. Word Studies You may routinely read a passage and think you understand it, but there may be truths often overlooked that you can find in the words of that verse. Look up the words (even the ones you already know) in a dictionary, Bible dictionary or concordance. Does the word have more meaning than what you thought? Does it add more to the Scripture passage? Is there any truth that I can apply in my life right now? There are times we read words in the Bible and think we understand when we really do not have a clear understanding of what these words mean. 3. Topical Studies When you want to learn more about what the Bible says about a given subject (healing, peace, forgiveness, etc.), you can do a topical study. Find verses containing references to those words and write them down on a piece of paper. Then go through them one by one. Always read the verses before or after a verse to find out the context in which the verse is written. 4. Character Studies There is much to be learned by studying the life of a Bible character. You can find qualities that will make you successful or cause you to fail. How did this person overcome? Why did God choose them? How can I be like them now?