PRAYER IS THE KEY

First lesson: Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Second lesson: Luke 11:13 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Golden text: Acts 4: 29-31: “And now, Lord, behold their threatening: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Introductory choruses 1. Prayer is the key to heaven (3x} faith paves way for salvation. 2 Pray for my power, (2x}my power will dominate the whole world. 3 Any one who prays will have life. 2.1 Prayer is the key Brethren, the things which men look down upon are esteemed by God. and are very important in this kingdom. Many people have read the Bible from Genesis to the Revelation of John yet, they are ignorant of the fact that, prayer is the key. Often, heavenly things are illustrated with the things of the earth. It is stated in the scriptures that Our Lord Jesus Christ entrusted the key of the kingdom to-Peter. It was not an ordinary key but the power therein of prayer. The key was the symbol. What type of Christian are you if you fail to pray or relent in prayer? How will you be- endowed with power if you do not pray? Where will you get faith if you relent in prayer? How will you receive the Holy Spirit, the gift of vision, the inspiration to preach authoritatively and without fear and how will you be able to overcome your enemies when you do not pray? You can realise why many of you have problem. You only claim to be Christians but without being prayerful. Any person who does not live by prayer is a child of perdition. A man of God must be fervent in prayer for it is the key that leads to faith which in turn provides the only access to the Holy Spirit. No man will be able to serve or please God in any way except such a person is prayerful and is correspondingly endowed with the Holy Spirit. There is no other means available for any man to get close to God and feel His presence and impact except through prayer. God is closer to us than the tongue is to the teeth. Yet it is impossible for any man to feel His presence except through prayer. The key to such awareness and recognition is prayer. The weapon that we have are not conventional weapons or carnal ones. Prayer is the foremost in heaven and on earth. Are you not aware of what the second lesson says: “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” And so any person who requests for the Holy Spirit from God will receive it instantly if only he prays with faith. There is no other way a man can be endowed with the power of God except such person is endowed with the Spirit of-God first. The ability to serve God is derived from Holy Spirit which is obtainable through prayer. Whatever your is ambition in life, if you are ambitious to be a president, legislator technocrat, academic giant, successful business tycoon and millionaire, the only way. to have it materialized is through the Holy Spirit, And, the ability to succeed and be able to serve God and humanity diligently is to be endowed with the Holy Spirit. The ability to be able to reign and rule as a King or a ruler, or be able to have control over others is derivable from the Holy Spirit. Any man who is devoid of the Holy Spirit is without protection. If you want to be a successful farmer, trader, fisherman, student, housewife, husband, etc; first of all seek for and possess the Holy Spirit. It is only the Spirit of the living God that can lead men right as said in one of our spiritual chouses. Our Lord Jesus Christ bore eloquent testimony about this spirit of truth when He said in John 16: 7-8: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that go I away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart; I will send him unto you. And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement. You can now realise that He is the only source of salvation. If you are asking after God, how will you find Him, if you are devoid of the Holy Spirit? People are now gazing at the sky, expecting the descent of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Does it mean that He is up there in the sky? Many people are praying that God should come down as if He is somewhere there far away from man. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit live with man on earth. Any man who does not have the Holy Spirit does not have-the Father, and does not have the Son as well as the Holy Spirit. And such a person is good for nothing and is useless, Has Christ not taught us that God is a Spirit? That is the God we are talking about, who has come down by Himself, without sending anyone. The trinity God: The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost has come. He is neither resident in heaven nor on earth or beneath the earth. He is not limited to a particular geographical area or present only in a few Individual. He is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. He is in every man and in every creature. 2.2 The era of the Holy Spirit Our Lord Jesus Christ gave His life as a ransom for mankind to pave way for the reign and rulership of the Holy Spirit in the whole world This, therefore, is the era of the Holy Spirit. There is no other power, wisdom, doctrine or personality than the Holy Spirit. Any business or undertaking that He is not a partner and consultant cannot succeed. If you want to see God you have to knock for Him to open the door for you. Many people have wasted their time, energy and money building mighty buildings and give such buildings beautiful names, dedicating same to God in attempt to see Him. I tell you that all such efforts are unprofitable. That is the handiwork or manifestation of persons who are devoid of the Spirit of God. But all those who are endowed with the spirit of God need not build any structure for God. This class of people would glorify His name whether in the thick forest, market square or earth beneath. A person who is filled with the Spirit of God is an embodiment of power, wisdom, might and truth. The key to such attainment is prayer. It does not need burning of candles or incenses, or praying in designated places at particular times of the day. The disciples of Christ prayed God to empower them to preach with authority, heal the sick and perform miracles in the Lord's name. And they were granted such power. Do not bother to register in an institution of learning or pay an individual to teach you the scripture. Whatever your state, call upon God in prayers and give Him your heart truly and sincerely. He will open your eyes, ears, mouth and brain to the truth. This explains why it is said that except Jehovah God builds a house, or watches over a city, whoever builds or keeps watch, does so in vain. There is nothing any man or multitude of people can do except by God's power. God is a symbol of success, peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, no man seeks after Him. Rather every man struggles for money, food, husband, wife, and other mundane things. Men prefer to kneel down to worship man-made gods. God is so loving. He had known that man was empty and without substance that was why He came down to shed His precious blood. He has come down now with this key so that man should not suffer anymore and live in peace and prosperity. To prove this gospel, read Isaiah two and you will realise the nakedness of the people of the world. This is the era of the Holy Spirit. He is shaking and turning the world the way it pleases Him. No person, or stone, or tree or creature is responsible for the goings-on in the world today. 2.3 The Holy Spirit is responsible for events in the world The Holy Spirit is responsible for all the events in the world. Many people complain of poverty, loneliness, illiteracy, ill-health and the rest of the infirmities and handicaps as if these things are sufficient obstacles to obtaining the Holy Spirit, knowing God and serving Him. Whatever is your problem, whether childlessness, poverty or famine, go on your knees and pray to Him constantly and He will answer you promptly. He is the beginning and the end; the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We are only God's own instruments whose duty is to constantly glorify His name and praise Him. He is the one Our Lord Jesus Christ was constantly referring to as Father. The frequency of such reference caused Philip to ask Him to show them the Father and that would be enough for them. He is the only one who can do and undo. He is the source of life, peace, prosperity. He alone can overcome death and abolish the hades. If this power were to originate from or reside in a man there would have been misapplication and misappropriation. If men were to be the source of this power, the less-privileged, the illiterates and the poor would be cheated and discriminated against. The criteria for distribution would have been on blood relationship, class, race or colour basis. That was the kind of fate that befell Namaan the leper. Call upon God at any time and He will answer you. The Samaritan woman told Christ that their fathers worshipped on the mount but that she overheard His disciples speculated that there exists a place in Jerusalem where God would be worshipped. Christ told her, "Woman truly I say to you, a time cometh when it shall neither be on the mount nor in Jerusalem shall God be worshipped, for ye worship what ye know not." He went ahead to tell her that a time would come and then was it when the true worshippers shall worship God in Spirit and in truth because God wants to be worshipped that way. He concluded that salvation comes from the Jews. Whether a person is one-legged, or deformed or disabled in any way, God's grace is sufficient to everyone. If God were to be worshipped only in Jerusalem, would it be possible for every worshipper to go there? This' is why anywhere a person may be, once he calls upon the name of God, He will answer the person. I have taught you all things so that you may have an accurate knowledge of the truth. God is able to raise the dead, heal the sick, feed the hungry and provide shelters for the destitute. But because of your unbelief, faithlessness and ignorance, you allow man to lead you astray. Because of your ignorance, visioners and such-like people dupe and extort money from you and alienate you from God. If men who are evil can be so pleasant to their children 'what do you think about God? God is even much more kind and just to His children. We should forsake every other form of diabolical practice and accept Him fully and He will manifest Himself fully on us. The juju priests and magicians know truly that the Holy Spirit is the only source, of power, be it of healing, prosperity, good luck and eternal life. It is rather unfortunate that man prefers to go through the hard way. There is no need to desire to come to 34 Ambo here in Calabar. Wherever you may be and however sinful you may be, just accept Him, pray and call upon His name and He will not fail to answer you. I am saying these things to you with pride and full assurance of God's grace, love, and limitless capacity to forgive. First lesson: Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto the to this end, that men ought a/ways to pray, and not to faint.” 2.4 The source of salvation Be seasoned and fervent in prayer. Teach even an infant how to pray unceasingly. Do not contemplate on who will ascend into heaven to bring down Christ or who will descend into the hades to bring out Christ. The scripture makes it clear that the word of faith which the Lord preaches is on your lip and in your heart. Whoever declares with his mouth that Christ is Lord and that God raised Him from death his/her problems will be over. Do not allow language or anything to obstruct you from talking to God, your Father. He hears and understands every language. Do not accept to say any written and dictated prayer. Commune with your Father directly and personally in your own way. On the road, in your house, anywhere, continue to be prayerful. He has promised not to leave us comfortless. One of our brothers at Ugep in Yakurr Local Government Area, Cross River State, testified that his son who was kidnapped along with three other boys got released inside the shrine where he was held captive. Right there, a certain monster emerged from nowhere and shouted that the boy be released because the one under whose care the child was, could not be compared to anything in terms of power and might. If you were to know the capability and power of the Holy Spirit on earth now, none of you would desire the things of this earth and or worship any creature that is man-made. The boy was saved because he believed in the Father and had Him on his lips and in his heart always. And so, submit to Him always and believe in the Father. God knows our inadequacies and so He adequately makes provision for us. Once you call upon Him, He will so empower you to match on charms or drink poison without being hurt. God's love and grace have no bounds. No man should have any fear if we believe in Him. His response to our prayers is spontaneous and takes immediate effect. Just believe and call upon His name. God's response to one's prayer is not dependent upon the church one attends, his appearance, educational attainment or social political standing. Whoever believes and calls upon His name anywhere, He will surely answer him. Listen to the second lesson to realise that the grace and love of God is sufficient for all. Second lesson: Luke 11:13 “If ye then, being evil, Know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” 2.5 Overcome the world with prayer: Have you asked God for the Holy Spirit and He fails to give you? Ask and it will be given to you. He is the same Father who used Christ as an instrument to perform wonders. He did and overcame the world. If you were to know this truth you would cease to clamour for holy oil and put a stop to seeing the .Father or have audience with Him physically. Many visioners and the so-called healers deceived their fellow brethren that their spiritual gifts were in-born while others say that they ordered it from India. All these are mere claims and thus false. If the power of God were to be obtained in the market or inherited, native doctors, soothsayers and necromancers would not forsake their diabolical practices and accept God as a Saviour. Many people who are living today were attested to be dead by medical doctors. Some women who are pregnant today were said to be barren and impotent. Isaiah chapter two will explain to you what is going on in the world today. That is why you are advised not to rely or believe in man who breathes through the nostrils, for he will disappoint you. Believe and rely in God only because He will never disappoint you. He .is the Holy Spirit who has come with love, peace, joy, truth, prosperity and eternal life. There is no need for any man to seek to use herbs, or magic or seek for salvation anywhere else other than from God. There is no problem any medicine or man can solve. If you pray to God unceasingly He will take care of you. Continue to bear eloquent testimony about Him and be thankful Him. Those of you who have received this truth owe mankind a duty of going out into the world to heal the sick, sooth the broken hearted, and feed the hungry. Wherever you find a sick person just call upon the name of God and He will immediately do His will. If you meet a man who vows he will never bow to God promptly call on God's name and surrender such a person to Him in prayer, and He will immediately change the person. Any person who strives to practise this gospel will have no problem. Whatever is your heart desire, ask the Father and He will give it to you, Do not indulge in prolonged prayers, but just go on bended knees arid thank Him for everything and all will be well with you. We are told to ask and it shall be given to us; and to seek and we shall find; to knock and it shall be opened to us. You should bear in mind that you cannot have what you do not seek for. This explains why it fulfils to every man according to his faith. You are not charged to go out and invite people to come to Brotherhood, or to come to 34 Ambo and see the Father Tell the people that this is the era of the Holy Spirit who is the beginning and end of everything. Bring to their awareness that prayer is the key to receiving solution to their problems. Individuals and juju priests frequently allege that it is members of Brotherhood who have rendered their charms and juju powerless. Such is only false allegation. They do not know that this is the era of the Holy Spirit and that He alone is responsible for everything. Members of Brotherhood are only vessels and witnesses for testimony. A mere singing past a juju shrine, everything that was left there becomes useless. At Andoni, a church was sealed up for refusing to acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit on earth. If God had not come by Himself, no evil man would have become a convert. No sinner has ever willingly repented. Golden text: acts 4: 29-31 “And now. Lord, behold their threatening: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. 2.6 Confirmation of the truth Brethren, the golden text corroborates the whole truth that prayer is the key. Even if you meet unbelievers, go on your knees and call upon the name of the Father to change them to Himself and He will surely do it. God is ever ready to answer your prayer. He has come to save us all not because of our righteousness but because of His love and grace. Cast your burden onto Him and He will give you rest. Tell every denomination or people to call upon His name alone for He is the only Saviour. Refrain from deceit, hatred, lies, drinking, smoking, idolatry, anger and every form of vice. If the people who smoke stimulating weeds and take cocaine and other performance-enhancing drugs were to know that the most powerful and stimulating and inspiring of all drugs is the Holy Spirit, they would have ceased to take these hard drugs or to get drunk. If there is any one amongst you who has been consulting oracles and indulging in medication, let such a person refrain from such habit now. If you have any problem, go on your knees and cast your burden onto Him and He will relieve you of it all. God is the custodian of power, wisdom, wealth, joy, good health and every other thing. Christ spoke at Acts 2:17-21 that: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy; And I will show wonders in heaven above; and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” That is exactly what has manifested here in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. This explains why candles or incenses are not burnt here, nor do we; engage in any orchestra or clapping of hands. God is all-knowing and His ability and might are not in doubt. He also calls disciples onto Himself and changes them. Except He calls and justifies someone, such a, person is not justified. Beloved, it is said that a stroke of the cane is sufficient for the wise. Those who have ears let them hear. May God bless His holy word. Amen. THANK YOU FATHER