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When a man is born again, the spirit of God enters into him (1John 4:13)and begins to communicate/relate with his spirit (Romans 8:15,16).At the point of new birth his rejuvenated spirit is young no matter the physical age. Some people however will refuse to grow up spiritually in the things of God and we say their spirit is undeveloped. An undeveloped spirit has low spiritual rating as far as God is concerned (Job 32:7-9)
 Symptoms Of An Undeveloped Spirit

1. Inability to discern the voice of God and receive divine revelation 1Sam 3:1-7, Lk 24:25-27, 30-32
2. Inability to incubate vision and get correct timing Gen 37:5-9(Hab 2:3). Joseph could have kept quiet. Look at the man Nehemiah who kept his vision safe. (Neh 2:11-13)
Moses had an inner conviction that God will use him, he did not know the timing, he went ahead prematurely and lost 40 years in the wilderness keeping animals. Undeveloped spirit drove the man of God into the midst of animals.

(Isaiah52:12;28:16). Kings business require haste, yet every vision has an appointed time. People are perishing of course, yet that doesn’t call for zeal without knowledge: they have been perishing before you were born!
 Jesus – the saviour was in the world yet  he didn’t die & shed his blood in haste, or he would have wasted it. He waited for 30years—the age of enthronement. People were going to hell even though he was in the world! He didn't allow baseless zeal to push him out of divine timing.

3. Low level of spiritual understanding  (Heb 5:11-14, 1Cor 13:1, Mt 16:22)
   This causes division, unprofitable argument, hasty decision, easy manipulation, doctrinal instability and prejudice, inability to flow with the body of Christ and carnal competition.

4. Inability to recognise danger
Samson was strong in the anointing but he did not know that the smallest of the unbeliever, is a serious danger.
No anointing can handle unequal yoke. Anointing is not a sign of developed spirit. Kids can’t recognise fire until they are burnt.
Only people of undeveloped spirit talk evil of ministers (they are flames of fire). Korah &Co could not perceive danger of rebellion and their ministry ended.
The fact that someone prophesy to you that you will be great doesn’t mean you should pull others down. No one needs to come down before you go up. The only one who needed to come down has gone down and climb up to come down no more so that he might pull you up.
Miriam was elderly but he got burnt for touching Moses.

5. Inability to handle Success (Physical and Spiritual)
  2Chr 26: 15-16,1Tim 3:6 (nothing is received except it be from God) 1Cor 4:7.  When some were praying for jod,they could fast,pray and attend every church service.But now that job is here...the same job will not allow them to serve God again! We must all recall that Solomon success killed him,lest we fall into the same trap

6. Inability to handle Prophecies
·  Eli is grown up but he surrendered cheaply to prophesy 1Sam 3:18
Peter also began to argue with Jesus instead of going to God in fasting and prayer:when Jesus predicted his fall and denial.That was an acute symptom of undeveloped spirit.  ·  To argue with the kings of kings is nothing but foolishness.·  Thank God for Hezekiah,he did not accept the prophecy of Isaiah...rather through fervent prayers he  reverse the bad future.

Developing The Spirit Man
  1.The Word of God:It’s the heavenly Manna to be eaten – read, studied and meditated upon Acts 17:11, Eze 2:8-10, 33, II Tim 2:15, I Pet 2:2, Tim 3:16-17


2.Prayers

3.Experience and exposure:Books, tapes, hot Spiritual Environ can help in the development of the spirit man

 4.Discipline
























Here is the second part of my write up on Church diseases
Arrested Spiritual Development
Wagner: “When people in the church are not growing in the things of God or in their relationships with one another, the total health of the church deteriorates, and the church cannot grow.”  To this I will add, if the church did grow, it really has nothing to offer those who come, nor to the community where God placed them.
St. John’s Syndrome
When Christians become Christians in name only; feel that their faith is only routine; when church involvement is largely going through the motions, and belonging to church is nothing more than a family tradition or social nicety, St. John’s Syndrome is likely at work.
Why is this called St John’s Syndrome?  I have no idea. At least I do not recall off the top of my head. But I agree that the symptoms described are unhealthy, no matter what you want to call it.
Hypo-pneumia
Hypo-pneumia is a condition caused by a subnormal level of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the life and ministry of the church.  This is a church that depends upon talent of the members and the resources on hand.  It is a church that may pray, but is not depending upon prayer.
It is this type of church Francis Schaeffer had in mind when he asked his wife what she thought would happen if the Holy Spirit departed from the local church.  Their joint conclusionwas that in the vast majority of churches nothing would change, and few people would notice.


Community Disconnect Disease.
Churches with this disease meet within a given community, but they do not know that community. Often, church members drive to the church building, meet as “church,” and then drive home—without ever taking note of a changing community around them. In fact, I’ve seen church members with this disease lock their doors as they drive through the community where their congregation gathers.
Methodological Arthritis.The name says it all: this church is stuck in doing things the way they’ve always done them. Change (that is, movement) is painful, and it’s seemingly easier not to take a step forward. What these churches often don’t recognize is that standing still is also risky. Eventually, they will not move at all.
The “Grass is Greener” Syndrome.This syndrome is a malady of leaders who are always looking for the next church leadership position. They establish no roots, and their current congregation is only a stepping-stone to the next place. Because they are always looking elsewhere, they miss the present tense blessings of their ministry. And, though leaders think otherwise, a church often recognizes when its leader has this syndrome.
Program Nausea. Churches with Program Nausea try a program, toss it soon, and then quickly try the next one. They never have a settled “organizational stomach” and direction. Members of this kind of diseased church are so accustomed to change that they seldom invest in any program. Why should they invest in what will soon be spit out, too?
Baby Believer Malady. This congregation is doing evangelism well, but they have no strategy to grow new believers. Their unwritten, and wrong, assumption is, “As long as you show up for our small groups and worship service, you’ll grow.”  This church disciples poorly and often elevates leaders on the basis of attendance rather than spiritual maturity.
Theological Self-Deception Ailment. I don’t want anyone to think that theology does not matter. No church with an unbiblical theology can be healthy. TSDA, on the other hand, is characterized by a belief that teaching theology is all that is required to be a healthy church. Teaching theology is critical, but a theology that does not lead to intentional evangelism, disciple-making, and global missions is not biblical. Indeed, TSDA congregations tend to be classrooms more than New Testament churches.
Talking in Your Sleep Disease.You may recognize this church. They go through the motions, but the motions lack energy. They meet for worship, yet the singing is lifeless. Even the preaching is lackluster, as if the speaker is monotonously only meeting his obligation. Here is one way to recognize the church with TIYSD: many of the attenders really ARE sleeping!
Congregational Myopia.The congregation with this condition is nearsighted, focusing on themselves only. They have no vision for the future, and they fail to see that their current direction will likely lead to further disease and decline. Ask the leaders what their hope is for the church five years from now, and their description will sound strangely like the church in its current state.
Thereare a lot of “diseases” afflicting the present day church. Some are terminal while others are easily treated!
Ethnikitis
Ethnikitis is fear or disregard for others of different ethnicity and/or races.  This disease is caused by contextual factors, usually revolving around a static church (in-grown and non-growing) in an ethnically transitioning neighborhood.
Ghost-Town Disease
Another contextual illness, this illness is found in communities where old residents are moving out, and no one is moving in.
People-Blindness
This malady is directly related to a lack of understanding of the significant differences between diverse people groups within the community.  It occurs when churches fail to consider how those differences may impede evangelism efforts.
Hyper-Cooperativism
Wagner says: “When everyoneis responsible for evangelism, no one is responsible for evangelism.  Local-church evangelism is much more effective than city-wide cooperative efforts.”
This malady occurs when local congregations loose their distinct identity because the church is too committed to being part of something else.  There is nothing wrong with partnering and cooperative ministries. But if the only ministry a church does is under the umbrella of others, and the church does not bring any distinct character to the joint-effort, it may be a sign that the church is not healthy.
The healthy alternative is not to forgo all partnerships and joint efforts, through isolationism or competition. Instead each church should develop its own distinct personality which it can then contribute to the community and cooperative efforts.
Koinonitis
Koinonia is the Greek word for fellowship.  Koinonitis occurs when interpersonal relationships within the church become so deep and mutually absorbing that we ignore the needs of the community and world around us. When Koinonitis is present church programs tend to become centripetal rather than centrifugal; entirely attractional rather than missional and incarnational.
Sociological Strangulation
Wagner says: “This is a slowdown in the rate of church growth caused when the flow of people into a church begins to exceed the capacity of the facilities to accommodate it.”
In other words, this occurs when the building and sanctuary are too small to accomodate more people.  The general rule here, in suburban communities is 80% capacity = FULL.  In more rural communities, where people are used to having more elbow room, the rule may be as low as 50% = FULL.

Another aspect that George Barna deals with, more than Wagner,  is when growth occurs at a rate too fast to effectively assimilate new people into an existing church community.  Barna suggests that healthy churches grow at a rate of no morethan 10% – 15% anually.  Thus, if Barna is correct, a church with a 6% or 7% growth rate may be healthier than a church that is growing at 20% rate over an extended period of time.


Opening Text:Psalm 127:1-5; 1Cor. 1: 26-29)."
Winning in life goes beyond human strength.Excelling in destiny is not directly proportional to your skill. Of course, you require smartness, tireless input, unbeatable diligence, wisdom and expertise to make it in life. All these are necessary but they are grossly insufficient to give you the kind of success that God has ordained for you. Struggling and sweating is needed, but they are not enough! 

There is an ingredient of destiny you cannot do without.It is called GRACE.By definition,Grace is  "the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it", 

  When you lack grace,you lack distinction.Outside grace,disgrace,defeat and disappointment is what remains. Life is frustrating without grace!
Our text says "“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord watch over the city the watchman waketh but in vain”
 The builders build and watchmen watch! Those are efforts, but except you link up with the Lord, they end in vanity. But when you have the grace of God, every input you make is amplified to produce unimaginable results

There are many people who are very smart, yet they are losers because ”…It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy” (Romans 9:16).   Goliath was a mighty man of war with many years of experience and expertise, yet he lost to a small boy who carried a small stone that might not even be able to kill a small bird! 

No matter how weak you think you are, the grace of God is available to take over for you and put you where you may naturally never get to in life. At the same time, if you think you are a strong man, let me remind you that there are people and forces that are stronger than you, and except for the grace of God, you will remain in struggles. You can’t make any impact in life except God backs you up.

The Manifold Works Of Grace
1.Grace Promotes:It is grace that catapaulted Joseph to the throne in Egypt,where he was not even qualified to contest elections
2.Grace Preserves: Jonah ought to have perished in the sea of disobedience but grace swallowed him up and vomited him to his zone of destiny
3.Grace Provides when all effort fails
4.Grace can Multiply your input.Was it not grace that turn David’s stone into a bullet? Or how on earth do you think a small stone can kill such a warrior?
5.Grace has the ability to erase your past mistakes and misdeeds: Jacob’s name should have disappeared from the annals of history but grace will not allow that.He cheated his brother and deceived his father…yet today the Almighty is still called God of Jacob! What a wonder!
            Do you intend to win your life battles,all you need is grace.
To rejoice means to exhibit joy, to show forth your happiness. It is not a hidden thing. If it is in the heart, it will show forth on the face.
Nehemiah 2:2
Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid

Sorrow of the heart will manifest as sadness on the face. In like manner joy of the heart will show as happiness, laughter etc on the face.
In March 1992, a research shows that an average 4-years old laughs 400 times a day, while a typical adult laugh only 15-16 times.No wonder Jesus exhorted us to be as little children if we cherish God’s kingdom.

Joy is a weapon in the battle of life. Without joy in your heart, there is a limit to where you can get to.
Isaiah 12:3
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

 All the entitlements in the kingdom are available only to the joyful; therefore don’t let anything steal your Joy.According to Nehemiah 8:10, your joy is your strength
Actually, medically speaking laughter releases a chemical substance called endorphin(s) that energises and act as a natural painkiller.

Again when you laugh you get more oxygen into your brain and this make you think more clearly.

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT REJOICING

1. Rejoicing makes it easy to hear God’s voice (Isaiah 30:29-30) and you know how important hearing God is.
2. Joyful heart produces healthy body and prolongs life Prov.17:22
3. Rejoicing invites God’s presence, when genuine rejoicing fills the air God comes down! Isaiah 64:5, Psalm 100
4. Rejoicing keeps you running in the race of life.
5. Coming to the house of God with joy guarantees that you will go back home with greater joy.  (Isaiah 51:11)
Please take note that joy is different from happiness.Joy is of the heart while happiness is temporary. Happiness has an immediate cause,while joy naturally spring forth
6. Sin steals joy, righteousness establish it. Psalm 51:12, 45:7, 64:10
7. God’s spoken words known  as rhema, (which can come when you are waiting on God or during Preaching) brings joy. (Jer 15:16, John 15:11),

Anytime you are sad, you don’t sit at home. Whenever you need joy come to the church. “For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3)
The Word will locate you in the church and it will generate joy (Ps.119:111)

WHEN DO YOU REJOICE

·        #During trial 1Peter 4:12,13
·        #When there is a loss of properties Heb 10:34
·        #During persecution Acts 5:41
·        #Time of fruitlessness Hab 3:17-18

Beloved, there is power in rejoicing. Its result does not follow natural law.In fact it works like magic (Hab 3:17-19)
The impact of life cannot be measured by its length alone. Many are living long but are not living well. Methuselah lived for 969 years. Joseph lived 100 years. Methuselah had no record of any outstanding achievement. Joseph was a great man by all standards!

You must make up your mind to pursue a better future.
Be careful of this thing we call future because usually people don’t know when it comes.
-                     Today was the future you spoke to in year 2004.
-                     But now we call it today!

The future arrives second by second! And when it comes it is called today. Here are 7ingredients that you will need for a sure tomorrow    

1.       Other people knowledge. Prov 24 : 3-4
The root of every man’s problem is ignorance and the secret of triumph is knowledge.
A man stooling blood may begin to go from one herbalist to another. He may go from a prayer house to another thinking it is an affliction from his stepmother! Meanwhile a correct dosage of Metronidazole (Flagyl®)  will take it off like a miracle!

There is no substitute for knowledge, prayers cannot take its place!

Other People Knowledge can be contacted from books /messages/seminars etc.  One of the world richest men “Richard Branson” attained his height of success by reading a little book titled “Small is Beautiful”. His business empire began to grow because of lessons learned!
OPK can save you from waste of money / time and effort.

2.       Other People Failure.          I Cor. 10: 11
          Samson became an example of failure because of wrong choice of wife. This is enough lesson for those who are yet to marry.

You should not ridicule those who have failed, rather make their experience your teacher, you can observe failed lives, marriages, relationship etc. Look at their mistakes and avoid them!

If  a man ahead of you falls into a ditch, the next thing to do is not to repeat what you just saw! Look at Lot, Esau and Gehazi.

4.       Other People Ideas:
You may need to look at other people’s idea that led them into success.
How did they react in times of trials? That is why you may need to read a lot of biographies. The secret of men is in their stories.

5.       Other People Money: 2 Kings 4: 1-7
          The widow in that  was told to secure her neighbors vessels. Borrow to invest, don’t borrow to spend!God has planted helpers all around you like the sycamore tree on the path of Zaccheaus.Your responsibility is to locate them and ask them for help!

6.       Other People Anointing: Hosea 12:13,  2 Chr 20: 20
          There are challenges you may face in which you will need the anointing of your pastor.          There are people God placed in your life to speak into your life when it matters.
You tap into such anointing by sowing seed into your pastors’ life. It is called prophet’s offering.

7.       Other People’s Influence / Credibility:
          When Nehemiah was going to build the wall of Jerusalem he took a letter from the king who was then his direct boss.
-                     Have you heard “whose son is he”
This is why you must not bang any door when you are going out, close it gently! Each person you know, knows someone who can help you!

As you face your future,I prophesy that you will succeed,you will have multiple testimonies and break generational records in Jesus mighty name.(Refer to adetunjisola.net for more messages)
One of the major reasons why Jesus came to the world was to bring mankind closer to God.
          Coming to church when you have no Christ is an absurdity. In fact you are living in self-deception and terrible error. If you don’t have Him in your life you are in real trouble. AND YOU MUST COME OF THAT TROULE TODAY!
Gen 1 : 1-3.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
        Darkness was reigning in Genesis because light was not around, but the moment light came darkness bowed. Why? Light doesn’t compete with darkness, because he is superior.
          When the light comes, you will run faster in 2006, your speed is increasing. When the light comes, it’s easy to avoid obstacles and not stumble.
John 11: 9–10
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
This year, you will not stumble. But something must be done before light can come.
Read Job 22: 21 – 28
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.(v21)
Before light could come, you must acquaint yourself with Him, you must get close to Him.
  •      Acquaint NOW
Closeness to God is a matter of urgency. Now is the acceptable time. The end of this year is a matter of days, why won’t you get close to the Man who sees the end of that year from the beginning.
If you don’t cultivate His friendship now He may not hold your hand as He held the hand of Lot.
  •       Acquaint…  THYSELF
It’s not “thyselves”. Walking with God is an individual business. God will not deal with us as a group but as a person.
          In Revelation, He says whosoever name was not written in the book of life shall be cast into the lake of fire.
§        In the book of life, what you have are personal names not church names or group names!
§        Each man will answer for himself. (Ezekiel 18:20)

You are to get close to God on personal basis. Even then, getting close to God is in levels.
Let’s starts from the natural.
You can be close to
1.      Church member.  2. Former classmates.  3.    Colleagues at work.
4.      Best friend          5.      Wife.
These are different levels of closeness.
Jesus was close to the following in different levels.
-        John
-        James, Peter and John.
-        12 Disciples.
-        Multitudes.
But who is it that determines your closeness?
-        It’s not God. Acts 10 : 34 – 35
-        It’s you. Ezekiel 33 : 17
God is constant, man is the variable.
In Ezekiel 47 : 1 – 5(Read)
This river has God in it because it gives life to anything it comes in contact with. It’s the river that the psalmist referred to in Ps. 46:  God is in the midst of her!.
Our walk with God is in levels.
Ø     Ankle level:  In today, out of Christ tomorrow. Just saved but not yet an overcomer!. Can’t pray.
Ø     Knee level.
Enjoy Him and His presence only in the place of prayer. Can communicate but no communion.
Ø     Loins level
This is walking with God, but still uses his head to make decisions. Still subject to carnal ambitions.
Ø     Overwhelming level
Jesus is not only His Saviour, but also His Lord.

Ezekiel 47: 5
 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.

This is the level God is taking you to in this year. You sleep, you wake, you work, it’s in God’s presence. One thing about this level is that, you must keep moving for God. “Water to swim” – not water to enjoy. When a man is swimming the day he relaxes he will begin to drown. A river that could not be passed over - You can’t outgrow this level; you can say it’s enough!
No matter how close or far you are from God, you can get closer! Moses was close to God; he saw the acts of God as he was been used to deliver the people. But he said “its not enough”! I’m going to a higher level. (Exodus 33:13) I’ve seen your wonders but I want to know your way.

The ways of God is superior to the wonders of God! When God answered him, a record went down into history!
Psalm 103:7
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel
Moses left the level of the children and moved to a higher level.
In this year, your level of acquaintance must increase!
Let’s quickly look at the benefits of getting close to God.
1.     Peace v 21.
This is of supreme importance: the kind of peace that keeps your heart out of trouble.
Ps. 46:3
         Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains      shake  with the swelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
…He can’t be moved, even though the sea is roaring.
2.  You attract good things of life in every location in life  v 21.
Isaiah1:18-19  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land
He is saying come let’s be close and you will eat the good!
3.     Ability to hear His voice.
You access rhema easily when you are close to Him.
4.     Divine Restoration v 23.
Everything you have lost is restored. Gates of hell are taken
care of easily.
5.     You will hate wickedness / iniquity and love righteousness v 23.
Even in your tabernacles, you’ll not be able to accommodate sin – abuses, curses, quarrels. etc.
6.     Material possession will not take over your life v 24
“Lay Gold as dust”
You’ll treat money as a servant, not as a master.
You’ll know that a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of things he has.
7.     God becomes your Defense v 25.
Moses didn’t know what Aaron and Miriam were saying but God was fighting for Him.
8.     Financial Abundance v 25
There are some secrets he will tell you that will give you access to MONEY.
9.      Your Delight in God become phenomenal.
  •       Going to fellowship or giving flimsy excuse.
  •      Doing spiritual exercise or discussing with friends.
  •       Things of God excite you more than your neighbours.
There is a strange delight in your heart.
10.    Free conscience v 26b
You will be able to lift up your face to God without shame!
11.    Strange / supernatural Ability to Pray v 27a
12.    It will be easy to receive answer to prayers. “ He shall hear thee”
13.    It is easy for you to perform your responsibility. You’ll know you can’t mock God. When you are close to Him, you’ll keep your words!
14.    You’ll become an oracle.
Your decree becomes his laws; your pronouncement becomes His commandment!
1Kings 17:1 “before whom I stand”
He’s acquainted therefore he talks like God!
15.    Enjoy Divine Direction and illumination v 28
16.    v 29 You will be able to stand alone and speak what He said and not what you see because you see in temporal, what He said is permanent.

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Bishop(Dr) Sola Adetunji is the founding President of Chapel Of His Power and Divine Power Bible College. He was born in Ibadan, Nigeria and attended primary and secondary school in Osogbo before studying Pharmacy at the University of Ile-Ife, graduating with a Second Class Upper degree in 1987. Adetunji is an amazon author of several works and is happily married to Toyin, an ordained Minister of God, with whom he has three daughters and one son: Progress, Praise, Perfect and Paul. He has contributed numerous sermons to Sermon Central and other websites including youtube on topics such as understanding success, overcoming anger, deliverance, the authority of believers, and others. He is the convener of Singles Ready To Marry group on Facebook and Whatsapp.
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