Walking in the Spirit- Apostle Peterson Onoja Abu

The speaker begins by expressing blessings and gratitude towards God, the choristers, and the leaders. They emphasize the importance of the message they are about to share, which relates to living a Christian life and the role of the Spirit. They quote from Galatians chapter 5 and Romans chapter 8 to discuss the difference between living in the flesh and living in the Spirit. They explain that Christianity is a life in the Spirit and cannot be practiced in the flesh. They highlight the need for the new birth experience to be able to live a life in the Spirit. The speaker emphasizes that the works of the flesh are contrary to the Spirit and that Christians should produce the fruit of the Spirit. They discuss the importance of walking in the Spirit and the difference it makes in a person's life. The speaker concludes by stating that the Christian life can only be expressed and lived fully in the Spirit, and not in the flesh. God bless you all, God bless the choristers, and God bless my leaders, Hami Ebo leaders, and then as well God bless every member in Jesus name. And to the online family, God bless you all in Jesus name. I am trusting God Almighty that today's meeting will be special, and this message will not just be a message of one time. God will help us to be able to be communicating to you every time we come together the word of eternal life. And what I am about to share with you is a message that you will need as you journey in Christianity. And God will bless you all in Jesus name. Our gracious Father we thank you for your love and mercy. We appreciate your name because we know you love us with an everlasting love. We pray Holy Spirit that even as we have gathered together to hear the word of eternal life, and we have come to eat the word of life. We pray Holy Ghost that you help us to be able to receive all that you desire for us in the name of Jesus. Help us to become partakers of the divine nation, and teach us the ways of the Spirit. Thank you Father because you are faithful, for in Jesus mighty name I pray. We will be having a very wonderful moment this evening, and it is going to be a message that will bring to simplicity all that you have been wanting to know about the Spirit. I will be sharing with you a topic from Galatians chapter 5, 16 to verse 24. Galatians, quickly open your Bibles, chapter 5, verse 16 to verse 64. Galatians chapter 5, from verse 16 to verse 24. Galatians 5, 16. The Bible says, This I say then, what in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, thrives, wraths, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like of the which I tell you before. As I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desires of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Quickly Romans chapter 8, Romans chapter 8, I read from verse 5 to verse 8 or to verse 9, from verse 5. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subjected to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God. It is very important that we have this basic knowledge that Christianity is a life practice that cannot be experienced or practiced in the flesh. There is a provision for the Christian life to be practiced. God Himself has given us a provision and He has said that if you want to live this kind of life, this is the position, this is the location that you can live the kind of life. He said walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. The Christian life is a life in the Spirit. It is a life of walking in the Spirit. And it is not something you can live. It is not something you can practice. It is not something you can be because you have a knowledge alone. It is something you can be after you have experienced a supernatural experience. Something that is called the new birth. So God was speaking to Apostle Paul. He said walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Walk in the Spirit and you will not be able to be subjected to the desires and the nature of the flesh. There is a fleshly nature and there is a spiritual nature. There are two destinations. There are two different locations. We have the Spirit and we have the flesh. A man that is in the location of the flesh cannot live like the same man that is in the location of the Spirit. A man that is in the location of the Spirit cannot live the same life as that man that is in the flesh. The moment you live in the flesh, understand that you are going to descend from the Spirit to the flesh. So if for example a pastor that in the morning he pray in tongues, he live in the Spirit, he live above the flesh. Temptation came and he overcame. And then in the evening the same pastor began to fumble with other women. Begin to commit adultery and fornication. What happened to that pastor is that in the morning the pastor was in the Spirit. But in the evening he has descended to the flesh. And that is why you can be a Christian in the morning and then become an enemy of Christ in the evening. You can be a Christian in the morning and become the enemy of Christ in the evening. Christianity is not a title, it is a location. Ask your neighbor, what location are you? Are you in the location of the Spirit? Or are you in the location of the flesh? Because how do we know that a man or a woman is in the location of the Spirit or the flesh? It is when you see the characteristics that are listed here. The Bible says now, the works of the flesh are manifest. So every time you check the works of the flesh and you see it in the life of an apostle. You see it in the life of an evangelist. You see the works of the flesh manipulated or manifesting by a pastor, a prophet or a teacher. What is communicating to you at that point is that such a person is not in the Spirit again. And these are the things which we set our eyes on. How do you know a Christian that is in the Spirit? It is by you going back to the Scripture and read the fruit of the Spirit. If such a Christian does not produce the fruit of the Spirit, irrespective of the anointing, irrespective of the miracle he is being doing, such a Christian is not in the Spirit. It means that the Christian is in the flesh. Because there is no how. If you are manifesting the flesh, then you are not in the Spirit. I will be discussing with you on a topic which I titled as working in the Spirit. Working in the Spirit. In this message the Lord will be opening our eyes to have in-depth understanding on what it means to work in the Spirit. And this is not just for the head knowledge. God will be teaching us so that we will be able to have proper understanding on how to work in the Spirit. Working in the Spirit. Like I said, the Christian life is life in the Spirit. It is not life in the flesh. To become like Jesus is to live in the Spirit. So, how do you become like Jesus? Somebody says, you have to go and follow the rules and regulations in Scripture. Let me say this to you, that you cannot obey God in the flesh. No, that is not the plan of God for you. That was why He initiated the born again experience. So that you can leave the realm of descending and come to the realm of ascending. Which is the realm you can be able to do what He says. In the Old Testament, He gave them laws. They were not able to keep the laws. Because even Romans says, Romans chapter 7, the Bible says that even the law is perishable. If the law is perishable, how could Canaanites be able to keep to the law? So, in the Old Testament, God gave them a perishable law. And because of their canality, they were not able to keep to the law. So, in the New Testament, God gave a provision. The law is still there. The moral laws are still there. But God did not give a provision. He said, except you are born again. You see, what this born again does to a man is that it gives you an ability, to be able to do the instructions of the Lord. So, a non-sugar man cannot please God. That was what the Bible says in the book of Romans, chapter 8, verse 8. It says, they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Even when they try to please God, they do not have the measure that would be able to help them to do the will of God. And that is where many churches are failing today. A sinner cannot please God. A sinner cannot do the will of God. How will an evangelist go into the world and is preaching that fornication is a sin? That is an awareness. That is truth. But a sinner will not be able to live sin because he knows that he will go to hell. Now, what brings a man out from that problem is when you preach the power of the crucified Christ. Because it does not only save the sinner. It brings the sinner out of that measure of sin. So, whosoever becomes born again has come into a realm of the Spirit. The Bible says, they that are born of the Spirit become spirits. So, as a spirit man, you receive an energy to become obedient to God. So, God says, as obedient children. Not fashioning yourself according to the former laws in your ignorance. But as he which has called you is holy, so be ye holy. So, what brings that possibility is as obedient children. So, how do you become obedient child? It is when you come into the Spirit. How? Through the born again experience. So, the Christian life is life in the Spirit. And understand this, it is a life in the Spirit. Number two, the Christian life is a life that can only be expressed when a believer is in the Spirit. You cannot express it in the flesh. You cannot. You can desire it, but you cannot express it. You can only express it in the Spirit. You cannot be like Jesus in the flesh. You can only be like Jesus in the Spirit. You cannot overcome temptation in the flesh. You can only overcome temptation when it meets you in the Spirit. So, every time there is a temptation to sin and you say no, shake very well. It is a time that you are in the Spirit. I am going to tell you what it means to be in the Spirit. So that you will not be saying that, okay, how can somebody be in the Spirit? You are going to learn this. So, as Christians we are called to walk in the Spirit 24-7. We are called to live in the Spirit. We are called to what? To live in the Spirit. We should dwell in the Spirit. We should walk in the Spirit. And I pray that is going to happen to you in Jesus' name. The Christian life cannot be manifested by the natural man. The Christian life cannot be practiced by the carnal mind. It is impossible. A carnal man cannot be a Christian. A fleshly man cannot be a Christian. A sinner is not a Christian. A Christian cannot be a sinner. Because these are two different locations. You cannot be in Nigeria and in America at the same time. You cannot be in Nigeria and in London at the same time. You can either be in Nigeria or in London. You can't be in Nigeria and London at the same time. So what does it mean? If you are in the Spirit, you cannot be in the flesh. If you are in the flesh, you cannot be in the Spirit. A Christian cannot be a sinner and a sinner cannot be a Christian. They are two different locations. If a Christian starts sinning, is not a sinner, you cannot call him a Christian. And if a sinner starts sinning, is not a Christian, you should not call him a sinner again. So understand this place that this is a location in God. If you are not in the Spirit, you are definitely in the flesh. And if you are in the flesh, how would you know that you are in the flesh? It is when you start practicing the works of the flesh. It is when there is a practice, when you see the lifestyles of the flesh. It is beginning to manifest. It is beginning to show. It is beginning to affect your conduct. The way you are, you are not like that again. The things, the way you react to situations, you don't react to it before. I mean, again, when you were offended before, you see yourself, you just overlook the matter and pray for that person. But now you want to fight back. Now you want to retaliate. The Christian flesh, you are beginning to lose it. It is a sign that you have left the corridor of the Spirit. You are not dwelling in the flesh. And this is not an insult. We are only showing you a clear reality. So that you can transpose from the flesh to the Spirit. So that you can be transformed from the flesh to the Spirit. So understand this. When you start seeing yourself watching pornography, you start seeing yourself viewing naked nudity, watching things that are ungodly. You are not carried away with the fleshly things of this world. It is telling you the state you are at that time. It is telling you that you are not a carnal minded person. The Bible says that the carnal mind cannot understand the things of the Spirit. Because they are spiritually designed. Who is a carnal man? Who is a fleshly man? A fleshly man is a man that is naturally fleshly. He has not been born again before. That man is called a fleshly man. Who is a carnal man? A carnal man is a man that was once born again but is not living in the flesh. What are the differences? Or what is the difference? The difference is that one has never experienced being born again before. So these people that have never been born again before, they are fleshly Christians. That means they are fleshly people. But a Christian that was born again and eventually he degenerated to the flesh again. He was born again. He was once in the Spirit but gradually he returned back to the flesh. Such a Christian is called a carnal Christian. And the Bible says that the carnal man cannot understand the things of the Spirit. So when God begins to communicate to him, he won't be able to understand. When truth and revelation begins to come, he won't be able to understand. He will know that God is showing him danger. But he won't be able to interpret the things that God is saying to him. Because he has degenerated to the carnal location. So a carnal man cannot and will not be able to understand the things of the Spirit. A carnal man cannot and will not be able to comprehend the things of the Spirit. So unfortunately today we have many carnal Christians. To be a carnal Christian is to walk in the flesh. To be a carnal Christian is to glorify self. Unfortunately we have pastors, preachers, evangelists, people that are already carnal in nature. Let me tell you what is the focus of a carnal man. The focus of every carnal man is self. They want to glorify self. They want to promote self. They want to honor self. They want to propagate self. They want to advertise self. And that is the goal and the desire of a carnal man. He wants to satisfy himself. He wants to please himself. He wants to meet the desire of himself. He becomes selfish and self-centered. It means that that man has left the place of the Spirit. And that man has gone to the place of the flesh. You must understand that the will of God is that we should live in the Spirit. The will of God is that we should dwell in the Spirit. Except we come to the corridor of the Spirit. Until we enter into the avenue, into the location of the Spirit. There is no how we can take over a territory for Christ. How do we take over a territory? It is not because we pray alone. It is not because we fast alone. The Bible says let your light so shine. When the Bible talks about the light of God. It is not talking about prayer. Prayer is only an instrument, a tool. That brings you into that reality to be able to manifest the nature of Christ. What is the light of God? In the book of John chapter 1 verse 2. It says in him was light. And the light became the light of men. It is the light of Jesus that became the light of men. And that the same light of men became the... It shines in darkness. And darkness can pre-end this love. Until the light of Jesus becomes the light of men. We cannot shine. We take over a territory. The moment we start living the life of Christ. It is the life of Christ that is called the light of the world. The Bible says let your light so shine. That men may see. And see a characteristic that you have a connection with God. And glorify God which is in heaven. Let me say this to every one of you. Until the life of Jesus is being practiced by us. Is being lived by us. The community will still dwell in darkness. So the Bible says that the light shines in darkness. And darkness can pre-end it not. The light shines in darkness. And darkness can pre-end it not. The light shines in darkness. What light? The life of Christ. In him was life. And the light became the light of the world. The life of Jesus became the light of men. And then the light shines in darkness. How do we become Christians? How do we take over a territory? They have told us that we should go into five hours prayer stretch. Oh, that is not the way. We don't take over a territory. By what? By five hours prayer stretch. Inasmuch that is important. That is not the plan and the purpose of God. Look at the disciples. We never saw any prayer stretch. I'm not saying that prayer stretch is bad. It's very important we do it sometimes. But what am I saying? It's as the Christian begins to live the life of Jesus. The territory will not be conquered. It is the life of Jesus that is the light of men. And it is that the same light that darkness cannot pre-end. It is that the same light that darkness cannot overcome. So in him is life. And the light became the light of men. And then the light shines in darkness. And those that are in darkness they saw a great light. And their shackles and their bonds were broken. Because there's a Christian that carries Jesus in his life. We have preached a lot. We want to live the life. We have taught them a lot. Let us start teaching the life. I know you have been teaching Jesus the way. That is an evangelistic message. Jesus the way. Every time you preach Jesus the way, you are calling men to Jesus. But every time you teach Jesus the life, you are telling them to learn of Jesus. Jesus said, come unto me. All ye that labor and that are heavy laden, I will give you rest. And they went for that. He said, learn of me. Take my yoke and learn of me. That is the second position. Take my yoke and learn of me. When you preach Jesus the way, you are inviting them to come to Jesus. When you start preaching Jesus the life, you are telling them to learn of Jesus. How do you learn of Jesus? He said, learn this man being you. Which was also in Christ Jesus. You being the form of God. But you did not grow up to be equal with God. It is a man that has died to serve. How do we learn of Jesus? We come to the place of crucifixion. That flesh should be crucified. That unto flesh is crucified. And we come out like a... The Bible said that, except the corn of the wheat fall to the ground and dies. It abideth alone. But if it dies, it emanates. It comes up. It brings forth and produces more abundant fruit. Let me say to every Christian sitting under me. Until we come to that place of dying of the flesh. The crucifying of the flesh. When we go to social media. We see ministry that advertise a man. We are still looking for the crucified Christ. But we go everywhere. We see posters that advertise a man. That advertise men. Men of God. But we are looking for the God of the man. And until we come to the place of dying. We will be looking for glory. What is ministry today? We are doing ministry to glue. My brother, why are you still fasting and praying as a pastor? He said, I know one day my time will come and we will glue. We want to glue ministry. We want to come to limelight. Oh Jesus. John the Baptist. It is the time I decrease. That he may increase. He said, behold the Lamb of God. When he saw Jesus as he walks. He said, behold the Lamb of God. This is the message. Behold the Lamb of God. What should be the message on every pulpit? Behold the Lamb of God. But then we cannot teach this message until we come into the realm of the spirit. Let me tell you what it means to live in the spirit. Because you are going to have many meanings. Yes. I am going to teach you. But let me say this. Yes. To be in the spirit is to come under the Lordship of Jesus. Any man that is in the spirit does not have will again. The will of God becomes his will to do. You cannot be in the spirit and you stick to your will. No. Your will is found in the flesh. And every time you come to the realm of the spirit. You are there to do the will of God. The will of God is the jurisdiction of God. You come under the nature of God. You know when you find yourself in America. You walk under the constitution of America. When you come into the spirit. It is what the spirit has said as constitution. Becomes your lifestyle. And what is the constitution? The Bible says, behold the word I speak unto you. They are life and they are spirit. The Bible is the constitution of God. The Bible is the life and the spirit of God. Understand this. That until we come into this realm. We cannot walk in the spirit. So walking in the spirit. Is not prophetic. It is not for you to see something. You can see what is happening. Praise the Lord. The prophetic. A man can be a prophet walking in the flesh. Let me tell you what is prophetic. You think prophetic you must be in the spirit. Of course no. If you must be in the spirit. Let me tell you what it means to be in the spirit. What is the indication that a man is in the spirit? Is the life of Jesus. But you should never use the gift of prophecy. As an indication that a man is in the spirit. No. No. The gift of prophecy is a gift. That can be given even to an unbeliever. There are some people that have been seeing visions. Even if they are not deep in Christ. They see. They have natural gift of seeing. It is a gift. But for you to live the life of Jesus. It is not a gift. You come to die. Prophecy I die daily. You must die. And for you to die. You must first take decision that I want to die. And that is why I say that the realm of the spirit. To walk in the spirit. Is to surrender your will to the Lord. Are you getting me now? Because of time let me continue. The life in the spirit. Which is also called the Christian life. Is a spiritual reality. That can only be lived. By those who have these three things. Listen. For you to live in the spirit. For you to walk in the spirit. Three things must happen to you. One of these three things must have happened to you. No. 1. Born of the spirit. You must have been born of the spirit. You must have been born of the spirit. In John chapter 3 verse 6 to 7. It says as many that are. No. Chapter 3 verse 6 to 7. It says he that is born of the spirit become what? He that is born of the spirit become spirit. You see. When you are born of the flesh. You are flesh. But when you are born of the spirit. You become spirit. That is John chapter 3 verse 6 and 7. No. 2. Is to be led by the spirit. To be led by the spirit. Romans chapter 8 verse 14. As many as are led by the spirit of God. They are the sons of God. No. 3. Is to be governed by the scriptures. To be governed by the scriptures. For you to walk in the spirit. No. 1. You must be born again. Born again is something we cannot overlook. If you are not born again. You can't walk in the spirit. You can't. I'm not saying that you can't prophesy. I'm saying that you can't walk in the spirit. If you are not born again. No. 2. You must be led by the spirit. You must be led by the spirit. Then No. 3. Is that you must be governed by the scriptures. Anything that makes you to go outside the scriptures. Has brought you outside walking of the spirit. You can't be walking in the spirit and you go outside the scriptures. The scriptures is the boundary of Christianity. To the law and to the testimony. If they speak not according to my law. It is because there is no light in them. So the word of God is the boundary. Is the agent. The factor that initiates moderation. So every time you want to do something immoderate. The scriptures brings you onto moderation. If it goes outside the scriptures. If your practice. If your teaching is contrary to the scriptures. It is immodesty. It is immodesty. Let your moderation be known unto all men. For the time is at hand. So the scriptures is what brings us into uniformity. To the law and to the testimony. If they speak. If they teach. Not according to this law. It is because there is no light in them. Isaiah chapter 8 verse 20. So you must be governed by the scriptures. For you to walk in the spirit. You must be governed by the scriptures. Now we are going to talk about walking in the spirit. What does it mean to walk in the spirit? What does it mean to walk in the spirit? When we read in the book of Galatians chapter 5 verse 16. Galatians 5 verse 16. The bible says walk in the spirit. And you shall not forfeit the lust of the flesh. Walk in the spirit. And you shall not forfeit the lust of the flesh. Walking in the spirit is in the new testament. It is called walking in the spirit. This word walking in the spirit is found only in the new testament. You will never see it in the old testament. So I am going to explain it. Because the old testament have the same ideology. But different pronouncements. Different words. But they are the same thing. The old testament have it's own word. The new testament has it's own word. In the new testament it is called walking in the spirit. In the new testament it is called what? Walking in the spirit. Or living in the spirit. Like in the new testament. But when we go to the old testament. Or when we read through the scriptures. Both the old and the new testament. This word walking in the spirit. Has the same. It is found in many places. But not as the same word. As walking in the spirit. Walking in the spirit in the new testament. Is found in different areas of the bible. But with different words. Number one. Walking in the spirit means walking with God. It means walking with God. In Genesis chapter 5 verse 22 to verse 24. The bible talks about Enoch walk with God. Who is God? God is the spirit. Who did Enoch walk with? A spirit. How did Enoch do it? Walking in the spirit. How? How can we walk in the spirit? We will find out. To walk in the spirit. Is to walk with God. So walking in the spirit also means walking with God. Number two. Walking in the spirit. Also means walking by faith. It means walking by faith. Second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17. Chapter 5 verse 7. The bible says walk by faith and not by sight. So every time you walk by faith you are walking in the spirit. Because the holy ghost instruction can only be done by walking in the spirit. You cannot obey the holy ghost without faith. The instruction that comes from the Lord can only be done by faith and with faith. Can only be done by faith and with faith. So to walk in the spirit is to walk by faith. Let me say this. Every time you walk by faith you are walking in the spirit. And let me say this to you. Most of the instructions that comes from the Lord are something that the flesh cannot do. Are something that you will not be able to achieve by sight. So the bible says walk by faith and not by sight. If you want to walk by sight you have to concedent. You have to descend to the flesh. For you to walk by sight. But if you must walk in the spirit you have to descend. You have to ascend to faith. You see. Walking by God. Many times God will tell you to do things that is impossible for sight to build. Imagine God telling that to build a camp ground. Like you want a redemption camp. In those days. In those days. In those days. It looked impossible for the eyes to behold. So he needed faith to obey. He walked in the spirit. How did we know that he walked in the spirit? Because he walked by faith. So if you are walking by faith you are walking in the spirit. If you are walking by faith you are what? Walking in the spirit. Number three is walking in love. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 2. Walking in love. Walking in love. You have to walk in love. So if you are walking in love you are walking in the spirit. The reason you need to have this understanding is so that you won't be asking questions like am I walking in the spirit. If you are walking in love you are walking in the spirit. Number four. To walk in the spirit means walking in line with God's word. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 7. Walking in line with God's word. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 7. For you to walk in the spirit. The last of it all. Number five. Is for you to walk according to the spirit leading. Walking according to the spirit leading. Romans chapter 8 verse 14. So when the Holy Ghost leads you to do something it means you have walked in the spirit. The reason we are simplifying is so that you will not be confused. So that you can say I walk in the spirit everyday. Then number six is walking. Okay sorry guys number five. Walking according to the spirit leading. Now these five interpretations or definitions of walking in the spirit is something we can do everyday. How? Number one. Walking with God. Number two. Walking by faith. Number three. Walking in love. Number four. Walking in line with God's word. Number five. Walking according to the leading of the spirit. It's something we can do daily. If we can practice this daily. We won't be able to condescend to the flesh. How? You are walking in line with God's word. You won't fornicate. Because that is again the word of God. You are walking in the spirit. Or the spirit is leading you. Sometimes it will lead you to go and settle with your neighbor that offended you. You can't stay in bitterness and hatred. The spirit will not allow doubt. It will allow you to go and do reconciliation. Even if your neighbor is the one that offended you. Your husband. Your wife. She is the one that offended you. The spirit of God in you won't accommodate hatred. It won't accommodate bitterness. Number three. If you are walking. You will walk in love. Walking in the spirit is walking in love. You will not only love those that love you. You will also love those that despitefully use you. You will also love those that despitefully use you. To walk in the spirit is a spiritual state. Which also reveals the lordship of Christ. To walk in the spirit is to come under the lordship of Christ. What would Jesus do? Repeat every confession you say before you act. What would Jesus do? It will be the first thing that goes through your mind before you respond. What would Jesus do? Because you have come under the lordship of Jesus. Jesus has become not just a God. Not just a savior. He has become a lord. He has become a model for you to become like. Those who walk in the spirit must have come to the altar in total surrendering and consecration. If you must walk in the spirit. You must have first come to the altar. Altar of Christ. The feet of Jesus. You come there in total surrendering. You come there in total consecration. Where the government of the flesh and the power of sin is betrothed for the lordship of Christ and the spirit. The altar of Christ. The altar of the lordship of Christ. What do you come to surrender there? You come to surrender self. You come to surrender self. At Calvary you surrender your sin. At Calvary you surrender your sin. That is where sin was atoned for. But when you become born again. There is an enthronement in your heart. That needs to take place. You need to surrender self. That is the only way you can come under the lordship of Christ. We come now to the inner war between the flesh and the spirit. Does it mean that there will be opposition? Of course there will be opposition. Galatians 5.17-18 Instead the flesh is against the spirit. And the spirit is against the flesh. While I was teaching you some of the brethren online. I said to them. How dangerous it is to marry a man or a woman that is in the flesh. When you as a man or a woman you are in the spirit. The bible says that the flesh is against the spirit. And the spirit is against the flesh. And these two cannot be united. So when a woman is in the flesh. And the husband is in the spirit. There must be contending. There must be fighting. There must be disunity. It is either both of them are in the flesh for them to be harmonized. Or both of them become in the spirit for them to be harmonized. Because there must be constant opposition. If one is in the flesh and the other is in the spirit. How unfortunate to discover that many sisters lost their fire. The moment they got married to a man in the flesh. How many sisters have left the corridor of the spirit. After they made entanglement with a man in the flesh. A man that is in the flesh will not be able to bring you to Christ. Because you will submit to the lordship of that man. So if a man is in the flesh you must submit to the lordship of the flesh. Are you getting me? That is why we must not take it for granted when it comes to the area of marriage. Know who you are marrying. Don't just know them after the flesh. Know them after the spirit. What location are they? Are they in the flesh or in the spirit? Working in the spirit is contrary to the flesh. It is opposition. Today it happened to some of you. When you woke up in the morning. Somebody told you to pick your phone first and view what is happening online. Another spirit said why not just have time with God. That is what we are talking about. The flesh against the spirit is a daily battle. But let me tell you how you win. Obedience to the voice of the spirit is how you conquer the voice of the flesh. Working in the spirit will produce faith and godliness. But working in the flesh will produce fear and ungodliness. I repeat. Working in the spirit will produce faith and godliness. But working in the flesh will produce fear and ungodliness. Fear and ungodliness. When you work in the spirit it increases your faith. And increases godliness. But when you are working in the flesh. It reduces faith. And it reduces godliness. So it increases fear. And increases ungodliness. So how do you know a spirit-filled relationship? How do you know a spirit-filled friendship? How would you know a spirit-filled marriage? A spirit-filled marriage is the one that yields towards increment in godliness and the increment in faith. If these two things are not growing or developing in your marriage. I'm sorry to say this. You have married wrong. If godliness is not increasing. And faith is not multiplying. It's not increasing. I'm sorry to say it. You have married wrong. It doesn't mean that it cannot be amended. It means that at this moment both of you are wrong. Not just the woman. You the man. Both of you are wrong. So a spirit-filled relationship. A spirit-filled marriage. Is the one that leads towards increment in godliness. And increment in faith. Work in the spirit. And you shall not forfeit the lust of the flesh. Praise the lord. For you to work in the spirit. Is for you to work by faith. For you to work in the flesh. Is for you to work by sight. And those who work in the spirit. Often speak faith to the hearing of others. Those who work in the spirit. When they are talking. You'll be hearing faith from their words. Faith. In fact. If you are close to them. You want to be like them. Because every time they speak. Faith. Faith. Faith. Faith. And you will see it manifest. Not just faith that die. Not weak faith. Faith that produce results. But those that work in the flesh. They speak by sight. They are seriously affected by their sight. And we see that in the Old Testament. In Numbers chapter 13. Read from verse 1 to verse 2. And then verse 25 to verse 33. When the spies were sent to go and spy the promised land. We have two sects of people. Joshua and Caleb that are in the sect one. The other soldiers that are in sect two. When these two sects of people came back to Moses. Sect two was saying that these people are giants. We can't defeat them. They are big. They are tough. They are high. They are warriors. But when Joshua and Caleb came back. What did they say? They saw the possibility of taking that land. They didn't speak fear. They speak faith. The other people speak fear. That is a condition. Of many of us. Two people may be going through challenges. Look at the way they are attending to their challenges. One is always. The moment we are complaining. Tired and depressed. The other one keeps speaking faith. It only shows what they are in the spirit. When you meet two sisters that are living in the same. Maybe they are roommates. Living in the same room. And they are going through the same challenges. And one of them keeps praying. These parties are difficult. The other one keeps complaining. Irrespective of the position. Maybe the one that is even complaining. May have a bigger position in the church. Than the other sister that is not complaining. But by raising up of challenges. We have known who is spiritual. So you discover that. When you are always depressed. It is a sign that you don't have faith. Depression always comes to reside in a faithless heart. A faithless heart is the one that always accommodates. And let me say this. When I see that you are often being depressed. I will be tempted to find that. If it has been long you spent time in your secret place. Because it is one of the signs that shows. That somebody has not been staying with Jesus for long. If you have always been staying with Jesus. It shows in your outward reaction to situations. So understand. That every time you distance yourself from Jesus. You cannot hide it. Because it will manifest when challenges come. Are we together now? So understand this. Understand this. The spirit of God is in constant battle. With the spirit of the flesh. And victory is decided by you. It is whosoever you obey. That becomes your master. Romans chapter 6 from verse 16 to verse 18. You will see that there. And John chapter 8 verse 34. You will see it there. So whosoever you submit to. Becomes your master. How do you submit? Obedience. So when the devil tells you. Why not just fight your neighbors back? Why not? Don't call them. Don't just keep miles with them. And you obey that voice. It means that they are the one leading you. That means that the same spirit can come. And tell you. Why not go and commit fornication? And you will still obey. Because you have been subjecting to it. But when the spirit of God says. No do not do that. And immediately you obey. It means. That you have gotten dominion. Over the flesh. So to whomsoever you obey. To that personality. To that theme. You become servant to. How wonderful it will be. That every of God's instruction that came to you. Whether through your mind. Or through from the pulpit. You obey them. You would have gone far spiritually than this. It is because you keep refusing instruction. You keep denying instruction. You want to work in your own ways. That is why you are still where you are. The day you will decide to obey what God says. Irrespective of who is offended. You will never remain the same. Everyone that is offended. Will later come back to celebrate you. You see. It is good you offend some people sometimes. Why? It is because. If you please them. And you fear God. Both of you will. When you start suffering. They will run away. But when you obey God. And they are offended. They will later come back and celebrate you. Working in the spirit. The battle between the spirit and the flesh. Is a continuous battle. But your obedience determines. How. Or to whom servants. You belong to. And let me share with you. Before we wind up. The characteristics of life in the flesh. The characteristics of life in the flesh. Galatians chapter 5 verse 19 to 21. Where we read. We saw. The works of the flesh are manifest. And then when you read Romans chapter 8 verse 5 to 8. You will see there up to. The works of the flesh. And the characteristics. That are manifested. By subjecting to the power of the flesh. The works of the flesh are the characteristics. The works of the flesh we read. In Galatians chapter 5. From verse 19. These are the characteristics. That reveals a man that is in the flesh. So what is number one? The Bible says. Fornication. Uncleanness. Adultery. So when a pastor is living in adultery. Who is that pastor? Is the pastor in the flesh. When a sister is living in adultery. Who is that sister? A sister in the flesh. We don't care to know whether she can prophesy. Whether she is a prophetess. If she is subjected to the flesh. She is of the flesh. She is of the flesh. Living in the spirit. Will bring you into obedience to God. When you are living in the spirit. You will be obeying God. But when you are living in the flesh. You will continuously be disobeying God. The Lord has spoken to us. I don't know about you. Do you want to remain in this level? How long will you remain in the flesh? How long? When are you going to wake up? And obey? These are the things. God is wanting to communicate to us. When we just mention walk in the spirit. You may not be able to understand it. Now. It has been broken down. You will not know what it means to walk in the spirit. Why not take the decision now. Bow your head down in prayer. And begin to talk to the Lord. Begin to commit yourself. And say Lord you have spoken to me. Help me. Help me. To walk in the spirit. Give me the grace. Give me the enablement. Open your mouth and begin to pray. Open your mouth and begin to pray. Make sure you are praying. Make sure you are praying.