ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS Mike Odoemenam

SIN ENTERS THE WORLD

When God first created the world, sin and death were not part of it. But through man’s disobedience, sin corrupted the perfection of God’s glorious and marvelous creation. The Scripture says in Gen. 1:26, “And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping things that creepeth upon the earth”. The above Scripture explains that God made man not only on his natural image, also a spiritual being, endued with power to rule over every creature on earth, including devil. That was a perfect plan of God for man in the beginning. In the beginning God prepared garden of Eden for man to enjoy and take care. In Gen. 3:1-20, Bible explains how man sinned through disobedience and lost his glorious home in garden of Eden. Man fell from his high estate by eating of the tree where of the Lord had commanded him not. “And the Lord commanded the man saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not eat of it, for in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shall surely die” Gen. 2:16-17. The word of God cannot be broken, that very moment man ate the forbidden fruit, he became dead spiritually. He lost the life of God in him, he was completely separated from God’s Union. He lost both Knowledge and Love of God. Fear, anger and unhappiness clothed him and he sunk into pride and self-will, the very image of devil. Now look at the Scripture, “Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” Rom. 5:12. So all men died in Adam, all human kinds, children of men who were then in Adams loins, male and female everyone descended from him, come into the world spiritually dead to God and dead in sin. Here again in the same book of Roman Rm.5:19, “For as by one man’s disobedience, many were made sinner, so by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous”. Through Adam many lost righteousness and holiness of God and were made sinners and through another man, our Lord Jesus, many will receive back the lost glory, (i. e Righteousness, Holiness, Power, Authority, Joy, Love, Peace, Grace and Mercy of God). Only believe in his name, all should be yours. Bible says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. Rm. 3:23. We can understand now that sin takes away the glory of God. Sin separates us from the presence and knowledge of God. God really sent man away from the garden because of sin, yet he needed to reconcile with man since he created him for a purpose. Since then, God has been anxiously looking for a way to bring man back to his initial creation. He began to prepare a way back into Father and Son good relationship. He has been working since the dawn of time to bring us to the place he has prepared.

REPENT AND FORSAKE YOUR SINS

Thanks be to God who reconciled us to himself through Jesus. God has a burning passion for the souls of men he created. He does not want the souls he made to perish. He wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men”. I Tim. 2:4-6. This is how God showed his love among us. He sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through him.1Jn.4--9.. Jesus is our mediator, God gave him out who had no sin as a sin offering for the entire world. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” Jn. 3:16. The Love of God for us is unmeasurable, not even death or anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in sins, it is by grace that we have been saved. Eph. 2:4-5. God does not want us to perish, he sent his only son, Jesus to die for our sins. Bible tells us in 2Peter 3:9 “God is not willing that any one should perish but to come to repentance”. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out[Act.3--19] Genuine repentance is the change of mind of evil, which leads to change of attitude or conduct, when one changes his mind from evil deed and desire to seek righteousness of God. Showing regret in evil committed and forsakes it. Scripture says ''In the past God overlooked such ignorance,but now, he commands all people everywhere to repent.[Act.17--30] No condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. As we confess with our mouth that Jesus is the Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from dead, we will be saved Rm. 10:9. As soon as we have done this, our sins will be forgotten by God and we will be seen before him as white as snow. Isaiah 1:18 (as we have not sinned before). How bad or worst we think our sins are, does not matter to God, for he forgives all sins as soon as we confess, for he is faithful and just to forgive us and to purify us from all unrighteousness. I Jn. 1:9. The parable of the lost coin in Luke 15:8-10, tells us how the woman who had ten coins and lost one of it, went in desperate search of it until she found it. Joy filled her heart as she called her friends and neighbours to rejoice with her because she found her lost coin. The same way, Jesus seeks for us, as we are lost in the World already. God unfolds his rescue plan for humanity through Jesus Christ. He pursues the high-risk strategy of dying to rescue us from death and sin. For this, Angels in heaven rejoice for you and myself and anyone else that could be found by our Lord Jesus. Jesus says whoever hears the word and believes it will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death into life Jn 5:24. One thing is to hear the word another is to believe the word. Man’s-will has its role to play, if we have to receive Christ. You have heard over and over and have not surrendered because you left your will power behind. Scripture says, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul, or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37. Our souls are precious to God, nothing will be compared with it, give your soul to God today. Jesus knocks at the door of our heart, if anyone opens his heart, he comes in and dine with him. Rev. 3-20. Again see what the Scripture says '' But when the kindness and love of God our savior appeared,he saved us not because of righteous things we have done,because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,so that,having been justified by his grace,we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.[Titus.3--4--5,and 7].

BE BORN AGAIN

"Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. “That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of spirit is spirit.” Jn. 3:5-6. Bible says, we must be born again, born of spirit of God, for us to enter into the kingdom of God. We were born of our earthly father in flesh, and must be born of spirit of God in our man’s spirit to enter the kingdom of God. Open up your heart now, and experience the greatest miracle of your life today. Permit the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) to have contact with your man’s spirit. The Scripture says '' For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.[1Ptr.1--23] The word of God is made alive by the Spirit of God, allow it to touch your heart through your active decision and will-power, because nobody is saved against his will. Let the Holy Spirit have his way to recreate your spirit again and you will never be the same again. To be born again, is to be recreated in our spirit into God’s family. This great change which Holy Spirit does in our spirit ushers us into the life of God. At this point, dominion is restored back, the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations is now disclosed to us, which is Christ in our life, the hope of glory. Col. 1:26-27. Now we have been rescued from the dominion of darkness, into the wonderful light of God. These new births renew the image of our mind, the entire body, soul and spirit respond to the leadership of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Yes, Jesus is now the Lord of our life, this new life in Christ delivers us from every bondage of devil. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life” Jn. 3:16. His love for us is so great that God sent his only son as a sacrifice for our sins. Believe in His name today, your life will surely take a new dimension. It does not matter how deep or dark your situation is, Jesus will surely penetrate into it and get you out of it. Once He is in your life, every darkness will disappear because He is the light of life and the light of the world. In the book of John Gospel, 1:10-13, it says “He was in the world, and the world was made by him and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as receive him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood nor of the will of flesh, nor the will of man, but of God”. The Sons are those that believe and received him. They are those renewed after the Spirit of God. God works in their souls when he brings it into life, when he raises it from the death of sin to life of righteousness. They are those whose sensual devilish mind is turned into the mind of Christ Jesus. He who has the son has life. The best life is in Christ Jesus; he gives you the greatest joy of your life. Receive him now, Jesus loves and will not like to miss you.

ONLY JESUS CAN SAVE US

The Bible says, God reconciled us to himself through Jesus and gave us the Ministry of reconciliation. 2 Cor. 5:18. That means Jesus paid the price, the punishment of disobedience and unrighteousness was cancelled through him. No one else could have done that for us. He says, “I’m the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the father but by me” Jn. 14:6. No other way to salvation except through Jesus, he laid down his life to rescue people like us who face a lost eternity without him. We are imperfect and unqualified to be in God’s presence because of sins. God’s justice means our sins need to be paid for. His love means, he sent Jesus to die in our place. Animal sacrifices were brought to an end by the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus. We enter into God’s holy presence because Jesus blood was split for us. Just look at this, “For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus, who died for us, that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him”. I Thes. 5:9-10. Can you imagine that, God our father does not want us to bear his annoyance, he preferred Jesus to die for us, and still desires that, we should not be separated from Jesus in any circumstance. Glory be to the Almighty!. He is the way to our father God, no one can stand before God’s presence without through Jesus (Salvation). We can now see the intimacy that reflects the unity of Father, Son and ourselves, Love is the word, Bible says that God is love. Scripture says “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”. Act. 4:12. It is wonderful to understand that salvation is found only in Christ Jesus. No other name under heaven by which we must be saved, yet some people move in different ways in search of protection, good health, prosperity and long-life. Jesus has answer to all of them, also everlasting life. In Luke 19:9-10, Jesus said to him, today salvation has come to this house because this man too, is a son of Abraham. For the son of man came to seek and to save what was lost”. Only Jesus can save the lost sinners, the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sins. Jesus was called the Saviour before his birth, Bible says in book of Mathew 1:21, And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. He will surely save you, if you will believe in his name. God exalted him and gave him name above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. Phi. 2:9-10. Call on his name today, he is the Lord of our life. Praise God!

THE POWER OF GOD FOR SALVATION

The Bible tells us that God’s power is manifested in his word, Apostle Paul says in Roman 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believe, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile”. The righteousness from God is revealed in gospel where his power always prevails. No one can be saved without hearing or reading the gospel (word of God). The word of God is spirit and life. “The spirit gives life, the flesh count for nothing, the word I have spoken to you are spirit and are life”. Jn. 6:63. The spirit of God is upon every word that comes forth to you, if you allow it, it gets into your heart. When the Spirit of God contacts your man’s spirit, he renews your mind. And when your mind is renewed, you become a different person, you cannot be the same again. Bible says “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death”. 2 Cor. 7:10. Do not harden your heart, hear the voice of the Lord. The word is hammer, it breaks rocks, even harden heart into pieces and penetrate even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow. The word is living and active, if we allow it, the Spirit of God upon it, rebuilds our entire body and makes us a new person before God. Open up your heart, and resist devil in every attempt to harden your mind. The Scripture says “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then they call on the one they have not believed in? And can they believe in the one of who they have not heard. And how can they hear, without someone preaching to them?” Rom. 10:13-14 (NIV). The power of God spreads the gospel in the entire world. His Spirit moves God’s people to preach the gospel everywhere. Apostle Paul said, I’m not ashamed of the gospel, because there is power of God in it. Are you ashamed to be a witness, now you have known him? The above Scripture explains that, they cannot believe, if they don’t hear. Power of God manifest when the word comes forth. Somebody has to bring the word for someone to believe. Jesus said “No one can come to me unless my father who sent me draws him”. Jn. 6:44. Jesus was preaching the gospel before he expected people to receive the gospel. If he did not preach the word no one would have been saved, the power of God for salvation would have been useless. God anointed Jesus, he went about, preaching, healing, doing good and saving the lost because the spirit of God was with him. Philip, through revelation and power of God, preached and guided Ethiopian Eunuch into salvation. Act 8:26-40. Peter ministered to Cornelius and his household, the power of God came upon them, as they were saved and filled with Holy Ghost. Act. 10:42-47. God’s power for salvation centered in his word. Received his word today and be saved.

OUR POWER FOR SALVATION

"The law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it”. Luke 16:16. The above Scripture is telling us how we can force ourselves into the kingdom. This is where man’s will has a role in salvation. For a man to receive the grace of God for salvation, means the man has already desired to be saved. We cannot be saved against our will, our willingness to receive him, is our power for salvation. This spark of fire that pulls your mind is a mixture of his love, that is your willingness for him. Bibles says “And the spirit and the bride say, come, and let him that heareth say, come and let him that is athirst come, and whoever will, let him take the water of life freely” Rev. 22:17. Are you thirsty now? Come to Jesus and quench your thirst now. Are you willing, come to him, he will give you rest. Jesus does not force himself to anyone, only your active decision and will power brings his presence to you. The Devil holds people in bondage of unbelief, he is a looser, he wants you to loose heaven, resist him now, you have to force yourself because Bible says, everyone is forcing himself into the kingdom of God. All that we need to follow him is the force that comes through self-will and self-denial. Jesus says “If any man will come after me, let him denied himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”. Luke 9:23. It is your will-power that will deny you the habit of drunkenness, habit of smoking, fornicating, lying, stealing, cheating and all kinds of unrighteousness. Your will-power is a force of sacrifice, you must be conscious of it any day any hour. To follow Jesus is to abandon your self-desire, abide by his word and know the truth that will make you free. He is calling on you today, he says “come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls” Mattew 11:28-29. Jesus is the master of peace and rest. Tell him what is bothering you, he said, you should bring all your problems to him, he will solve everyone of them and give rest to your soul. Are you hungry? Jesus will give you the bread of life, you cannot be hungry if you follow him, hear him, he says “I am the bread of life, he who comes to me, will never go hungry” Jn. 6:35. Jesus has provided us food in abundance, you cannot eat the word of God, and still be hungry. Lydia was one of the women who heard and listened to Apostle Paul’s Ministration. She was not the only woman hearing the message, but her willingness, brought a touch of God in her heart, and she was the only woman among them who received salvation. Act. 16:13-15. As you are going through this booklet with that willingness in your heart, God will surely touch you with his mighty hand today in Jesus name. Your willingness to come to Christ gives you access to breakthrough, deliverance, healing, promotion, sorrow free life, and joy of salvation.

JESUS PROMISES AT OUR NEW BIRTH

Jesus said, “As the father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love, if you obey my commands you will remain in his love” Jn. 15:9-10. Jesus loves you, he loves us, his love for us is unmeasurable, even when we are dead in sins, he still loves us. Do you love him back?, how can we show our love to Jesus?, Just obey his commands. Our Heavenly Father, God, loves Jesus because he obeys his command. Let’s remain in his love through obedience. He says, “The world and it desire pass away, but the man who does the will of the father lives forever. I Jn. 2:17 “I am the Light of the world, whoever follow me, will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” Jn. 8:12. Jesus is the light and the light is the life of men. His light shines in our lives everyday, if you allow him, as we have been given fullness of him (Christ), Col. 2:10, his light will penetrate deep in you and destroy every darkness in your life (i.e. sickness, lack, sorrow, unhappiness, unrighteousness and unholiness). When his light shines on you, you become also the light of the world that shines before men. Bible says in book of Mathew 5:14 & 16 “You are the light of the world, a city at a hill cannot be hidden; in the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good work and praise your father in heaven”. As Christ is ruling our lives, the world has to see the life of Christ in us, they have to know we belong to Jesus, our good work toward men identify us in Christ. Scripture says we are a city at a hill, men have to see our light far-off, it shines before them and brings glory to our Lord. Jesus said “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine, and neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are branches, if a man remain in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, apart from me, you will do nothing” Jn. 15:4-5 (NIV). Jesus is the vine, the tree of our lives, no branch of a tree stands without the stem, since he is in our lives today, we also live in him to possess our possession; it has been made clear, that we can do nothing without him. If he is not yet in your life, confess and believe now, so that you can move the mountains of your life. No darkness can stop the light of Jesus, it shines all over you with your permission.

THE DANGER OF UNREPENTANCE

The Scripture says you shall know the truth and truth shall set you free. The truth is that heaven and hell are real. As we are hearing this word of God, we should not harden our hearts in unbelief. God did not even spare angels when they sinned He sent them to hell The ancient world did not escape the flood He brought to ungodly people. (2Peter 2:4-5) Then how do we think we can escape the wrath of God; if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven (Heb. 12:25). Let us examine these Scriptures. “For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead”. Act 17-31 NIV. “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and book were opened: Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them and each person was judged according to he has, if any one’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” Rev. 20:12:13,15. It is nice you meditate over the above Scriptures and choose eternal life instead of death of the lake of fire as God advises us. That some did believe this will not nullify God’s faithfulness, his word must surely accomplish its purpose. Our Lord Jesus days, He is coming soon and He has His reward with Him to give to everyone according to what he has done (Rev. 22:12). He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer (Heb. 13:4). Now we can look at the punishment by destruction Scriptures talk about. Our God is just, He cannot punish those who obey his word. We know that everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of God. Let us make every effort to escape the distribution of soul and body in hell. Bible says in (2 Thess. 1:8-9). “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey gospel of our Lord Jesus. Thy will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power”. Once more Scripture say “By the same word the present heavens and earth are reversed for fire being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” 2 Peter 3-7. Matthew 13:41-42 says, “The son of man will weed out of His kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The necessity of new birth is to remain happy and fulfill the purpose of God in our lives. No wicked man is happy, all unholy tempers are uneasy tempers, full of fears and uncertainty of life .With your life in Christ, you are sure of your future. God has shown you the picture of your life through his words and his words cannot be broken. Are you conscious of his words as a believer? Let it weigh heavy in your heart, that the word of God never fails; it must accomplish its purpose. Jesus said, “I told you that, you would die in your sins, if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins”. Jn. 8:24. If anyone dies in sin, Bible says, there is no repentance after death, and there is a second death for sinners. Look at this Scripture “ And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. “ Rev. 21:6-8. The above explains that the evil doers, unbelievers who harden their heart and die in their sins will surely pass through the second death of everlasting burning of the lake fire and brimstone. We now have to make a decision, the Bible says we should choose life instead of death. Decide today whom to follow, look at this also, “And as it was in the days of the Noah, so shall it be also in the days of son of man” Luke 17:26. Bible says that people were busy eating, drinking, giving themselves to marriages; Noah obeyed the instruction of God, built ark and the entire family were saved and the rest of the world perished in the flood. Jesus said, he will come again like a thief, and no thief informs anybody of his visit. Receive Christ today and escape the wrath of God. Jesus says, “Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come unto condemnation, but is passed from death unto life” Jn. 5:24. The verdict of God is that whoever believes in him shall not be condemned and will have the life of God and whoever does not believe stand to be condemned and face death. Be wise and make the right choice, the devil has deceived you enough, resist him, say no to the devil because he is the master of all lies. Lord Jesus defeated him thousands of years ago, and so shall you defeat him today in the name of Jesus. Jesus loves you and will not like to miss you, don’t miss him too. Pray this short prayer and believe it in your heart that you are now a new creature. LORD JESUS, COME INTO MY LIFE. I AM A SINNER, FORGIVE ME MY SINS. LORD JESUS, I BELIEVE YOU CAME AND DIED FOR MY SINS, AND YOU WERE RAISED FROM DEAD. I BELIEVE I AM BORN AGAIN TODAY. Worship with a living Church close to you and grow with the word of God. Now Christ is in you, he is the Lord of your life and your salvation, he has control of your whole being, and he desires that you should be a witness to him. You are saved as to save others, so proclaim the gospel to everybody. Apostle Paul says, he is not ashamed of the gospel, do not be ashamed also, because God has empowered you through his spirit, as gospel is the power of God for salvation of anyone that believes. It is a command of God to bring those lost souls so precious to God. Go for them, the Bible says, if we don’t preach they will not hear and if they don’t hear, they will not believe. As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news (gospel)”. Rom. 10:15. Move on for souls, together we shall win the entire souls of the world for our Lord. Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:15, Act. 1:8.