Machaira With Apostle Bennie

Tag: training

EPISODE 518 – YOU MUST BE TRAINED

CHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY

The Love-Life Agency

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Monday 24th June, 2024

YOU MUST BE TRAINED

“A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle”
Psalm 144:1 (NKJV)

As an enlisted soldier in God’s army, you have the mandate to dispel the influence of darkness in all places, by shining out the light of the gospel.

As a royal priest, you are to show forth the glory of Him, who called you out of darkness into His light. (1 Peter 2:9).
This war is between light and darkness.
This war is about the salvation of souls.

It is about subduing kingdoms and taking unreached territories for the Lord and unto His glory. You must have this strong mindset that God has made you a soldier.
And as a soldier, you must submit to a certain kind of training and mindset.
It is through the training of the Lord that you are strengthened. From the opening verse, you see David declaring how he won battles and war.
“the Lord trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battles”

Through training, you are taught, equipped, empowered, instructed and tried through tasks.

You may be in Christ and think like a civilian, instead of a soldier. You don’t get involved in the training and the sending of the Lord. You only want to be served and pampered in Church.

However, the Church of our Lord Jesus is an army.
You see the Church only as a “hospital”. You just attend meetings for your needs and well-being.

That is not totally wrong, but the Church is more than a “hospital”.
The Church is both a family and an army.

Jesus said, “…I will build my church, and all the powers of hell[b] will not conquer it” Matthew 16:18 (NLT).
When you come for Church meetings, you are equipped for the work of the ministry.
“And he has appointed some with grace to be apostles, and some with grace to be prophets, and some with grace to be evangelists, and some with grace to be pastors, and some with grace to be teachers. And their calling is to nurture and prepare all the holy believers to do their own works of ministry, and as they do this they will enlarge and build up the body of Christ“ Ephesians 4:11-12 (TPT).

This is how Jesus is building His Church.
You are trained to serve as a victorious (good) soldier.
Before Paul asked Timothy to;
“…endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ…”

He told him, “…the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2 (NKJV)

You can see that Timothy was a soldier who submitted to training and teaching. He has the responsibility as a leading soldier to also train others. But those who will be trained must be proven faithful that they will continue in that process as well.

Timothy did not just function as a good soldier, he was responsive to instructions. Instructions are designed to help you wage good warfare.

“Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles” 1 Timothy 1:18 ( NLT).

He was instructed by Paul the apostle that;
“No man that warreth; entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” 2 Timothy 2:3-4 (KJV).

You don’t just go out there to wage war, you must be trained and equipped through God’s word daily and weekly. This is the purpose of Church meetings.
Your absence from Church meetings is your absence from training.
How do you wage good warfare without training and instructions?
As God’s weapon of war or battle axe (Jeremiah 51:20-21), you must be sharpened. See Ecclesiastes 10:10:

“Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed” (NLT)

“If you don’t sharpen your ax, it will be harder to use; if you are wise, you’ll know what to do.” ( CEV)

This is why Jesus didn’t ask us to go forth to just win souls, He commissioned us to make disciples (students) — Matthew 28:19.

The principle Jesus demonstrated to us was, win, build and send. That is how we expand God’s kingdom and army (workforce).

The Lord told Jeremiah;
“Stand at attention while I prepare you for your work. I’m making you as impregnable as a castle, Immovable as a steel post, solid as a concrete block wall. You’re a one-man defense system against this culture, Against Judah’s kings and princes, against the priests and local leaders.
They’ll fight you, but they won’t even scratch you. I’ll back you up every inch of the way.” God’s Decree. Jeremiah 1:18-19 (MSG).
Beloved, as a soldier in the Kingdom, submit to a ministry where you will be trained to function triumphantly.
Selah.

DIG DEEPER
(Deuteronomy 32:41;
1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Timothy 1:5; Ephesians 6:12-18; 2 Samuel 22:35; Psalm 18:2,31,34; Psalm 44:3,4; Psalm 60:12)

WE PRAY
Dear Lord, teach me to humbly submit to your nurturing and training, through my local Church, that I may be good soldier.

BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2024
Psalms 143 – 146

DECLARE THESE WORDS:
– I humbly submit to training.

– The Lord teaches my hands for war and my fingers for battle.

– The Lord is my strength.

– I am equipped.

OH Hallelujah, GLORY TO GOD!!!

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June 24, 2024
EPISODE 493 – THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT 6

CHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY

The Love-Life Agency

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Thursday 30th, May 2024

THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT 6

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
Ephesians 6:17 (KJV)
Of all the armor pieces mentioned, it takes a lot of skill and mastery for a soldier to use the machaira (the sword or sharp-razor dagger).
Before the introduction of the Chinese fire-spurting lances (around the 9th century, which later led to the invention of the hand cannon in the 15th century and then the matchlock guns), one of the most lethal weapons for close combat was the machaira or a sword.
From antiquity, all through to the medieval era, there were different kinds of swords which were invented. Some of these swords were believed to possess ancient powers or supernatural forces and the swordsmen who wielded them were considered legendary.
Right from the First World War, the usage of swords declined drastically. It became a ceremonial weapon. Most people born in the 20th and 21st centuries don’t know the prestige of being known as a skillful swordsman.
This is the point, a few weeks or months of training at a military camp, will turn lower-class soldiers into a capable gunner. But that is different from becoming a highly skilled swordsman or archer. To become one who wields a sword, required lifelong devotion.
To become an exceptional swordsman in battle requires absolute dedication to training.
You cannot become one who effectively wields the sword of the Spirit, without a consistent daily devotion with the Spirit and the word.
The sword of the Spirit is crafted from the Holy Spirit and not with a metal.
As I mentioned, the word of God is used as a sword when you speak them forth. The speaking forth of the word is not only when you quote verses of scriptures.
It must be scriptures, spoken by the spirit of revelation, understanding, spiritual conviction, consciousness and confidence of faith.
Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63).
When you are saturated by the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of the word, you don’t merely quote the scriptures, you speak them forth as life.
It takes intentional devotion to the Holy Spirit and the study of the scriptures to skillfully wield the word of God.
When you are trained to wield the word skillfully, you will know what to say in the face of opposition or adversity.
An evil day may come, but you can withstand all pressures, evil schemes and the wiles of the devil when you have submitted yourself to the training of the word.
This is why the adversary doesn’t launch attacks on you until he succeeds in moving you away from reading the word. In effect, the adversary begins his attacks by making you feel too busy to commune with the Holy Spirit and takes your attention away from meditating on the scriptures.
The adversary will subtly work to move you far away from Bible study meetings, Church meetings, special word conferences, sound teachers of the word etc.
These things the adversary prevents you from, are the things which will make you skillful to wield the word of God.
Though Jesus was the word of God made flesh, He also gave Himself to the studying of the scriptures. (Luke 2:47).
You don’t submit to the training of the word just to win arguments; the training of the word builds you up for victorious living.
Be committed to a lifelong devotion to the Spirit-word.
Selah

DIG DEEPER
( 2 Timothy 3:14-17; 2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Samuel 17:41-51; Isaiah 49:2; Hebrews 4:12; Deuteronomy 33:29)

WE PRAY
We pray that we will develop the discipline and diligence to be committed to a lifelong devotion to the study, meditation and training of the Word and the communion of the Holy Spirit.

BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2024
Psalm 31 – 35

DECLARE THESE WORDS:
– I am full of the word.

– I am established in the certainty of my identity in Christ.

– I speak forth the word of God at all times.

– I have the right word for every season and circumstance of my life.

– I wage war with the word of God given to me.

Thank you Lord Jesus!

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May 30, 2024
EPISODE 231 – ARE YOU GROWING? 5

CHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY

The Love-Life Agency

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Monday 10th, September, 2023
ARE YOU GROWING? 5
GOD HAS MADE PROVISIONS FOR YOUR GROWTH
“Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head.
Ephesians 4:15 (GNT)

For some days now, we have been looking into the matter of your growth or maturity in Christ.

It is imperative to give attention to this subject because it makes all the difference in your fulfilment of purpose.

There are things you cannot achieve in Christ until you grow.
Our heavenly Father is interested in your growth and maturity, thus, He has made every provision for you to grow spiritually.
He didn’t just give you His word, He granted you access (Ephesians 2:18) for you to commune with Him (through prayer and fellowship with the Holy Spirit). He planted you in His Church for you to be nurtured and gave you gifted men to equip you.

See how the apostle puts it:

“And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct], [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church]; until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity]. So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit]. But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ.”
Ephesians 4:11-15 (Amplified)

From the above verses we see the organic assignment of the gifted men. God’s intention for these gifted men (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) is to:

1. Fully equip and perfect the saints for service (or the work of the ministry).

To equip and perfect the saints, furnishes them with the necessary spiritual tools and dexterous skills and mastery for service.

2. To build up the body of Christ [the church].

Your growth and maturity contributes to the building up of the body of Christ. Which means, your immaturity can be a deficiency in the body.

These gifted men equip and perfect the saints to build up the body until:

3. We all reach oneness in the faith.

4. We all reach oneness in the knowledge of the Son of God.

5. Growing spiritually to become a mature believer.

6. Reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness]

7. Exercising our spiritual gifts in unity.

8. As we step into these above reality of our growth in the spirit or maturity; WE ARE NO LONGER CHILDREN [SPIRITUALLY IMMATURE].
The spiritually immature are tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine.
When you are not maturing or growing spiritually you become a victim of:

– every cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men.

– deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit].

However from these verses we see again the the matter of LOVE.

Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head. Ephesians 4:15 (GNT)

We grow up into Christ by LOVE. And the reality is, apart from love there is no other way you can genuinely grow up into Christ.
Your growth is not into your self or personal desires. Your growth is into Christ; who is the ultimate example of love.
Our Heavenly Father has made these provisions of gifted men to bring us to the place of MATURING INTO CHRIST in the perfection of His Love.

Submitting to the training of the gifted men God has given you in your “local Church” is your reception and enjoyment of God’s provision for your growth in the spirit.

Selah.

DIG DEEPER
(Jeremiah 3:14-16; 23:3-4; Ephesians 3:16-18; 1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Peter 1:8; Hebrews 5:12-13; 1 Peter 2:2)

WE PRAY
Dear Lord, please teach me how to humbly submit to the nurturing and training of my man of God.

BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2023
Day 216
Psalm 130-134
John 5

DECLARE THESE WORDS:
– I humbly submit to training.
– I take heed to every instruction given by my man of God.
– I am not dull in hearing the word of God.
– I make time daily to fellowship with the scriptures.
– I don’t lazy about my spiritual development.
– I don’t trivialize my fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
– I demonstrate the love of Christ in all things.

Oh Hallelujah!!! Glory to God!

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September 11, 2023