Title:

The Highlight

Writing by :
Dogara Abu

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1. Should we continue in sin that grace may abound?
(And he said No)
Paul speaking, said NO because you are dead to sin already, and he who is dead
to sin has life in righteousness. Don't you know you are being transformed the
moment you receive salvation? Or don't you know that your sinful nature has
been judged on the cross of Calvary, found guilty and sentence to damnation?
(Romans 6:6)
And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on the cross, in
order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no
longer be the slaves of sin but beloved children of God.
For the truth of the Gospel is that I no longer live but Christ lives in me but to
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will and to do according to his great pleasure. This life I live , I live in the son of
God that gives me the strength to stand above sin and live right.
I will give an illustration that will drive home the point, I believe no responsible
parent will call his child a pig or throw the child into a piggery because he found
the child playing in the mud.
Man has it’s nature and pigs also have their nature so a man does not
automatically become a pig because he is acting like one , so also a believer does
not become a liar because he lied. The believer has a nature. A God kind of nature
so he is not judged by his actions but by what Christ did on the cross.
But Mind you it is normal to feel uncomfortable after making a mistake but
feeling uncomfortable or guilty does not solve your problem or make you feel
better instead it makes you feel condemned, and rejected, so instead of
channeling all our energy into feeling guilty, rejected and condemned why don’t
we bring to our consciousness the reality of whom we are, reminding our self of
our nature in Christ Jesus.
And what is our nature in Christ Jesus a nature that is above sin and lies, You will
hear people say I just lied I can't pray NO. That is not the mindset we are to carry
we are to remind our self of whom we are in Christ Jesus and mind you
,committing the act of lying does not change your nature, you have the God kind
of nature so lying which is wrong does not have a place in your life.
It is similar to the GIGO formula which says “garbage in garbage out” if you paint
your mind with wrong pictures, you will certainly get wrong
outcome. So if you encourage the consciousness of sin or create a mindset that
you are a sinner you will find yourself committing sin consciously or unconsciously
likewise if you encourage consciousness of righteousness you will find your self
living right consciously or
unconsciously.
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 I found out that most times, condemnation makes us to forget that we have a
loving God so it amplifies our wrong (sin) over the love of our God. Condemnation
is a box that enslaves believers, claiming it wants to set them free , lets checkout
this popular bible story.

John 8:2(summary)
The woman was caught in the very act of adultery and was brought to Jesus. and
her accusers said “ teacher this woman was caught in the very act, committing
adultery and the law commands that such a person must be stoned to death”
and Jesus after hearing their claims , bent down and used his finger to write on
the ground , when he was done writing he straightened himself up and said to
them,” any one of you that has not committed any SIN should be the first to cast a
stone “ then he bent his head and continued writing again but before he could
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raise his head they all left.
Jesus was left alone with the woman still standing there and Jesus straightened
himself up and said "where are they ? is there no one left to CONDEM YOU?”
“NO” SHE SAID AND HE SAID” I DO NOT CONDEMN YOU EITHER ,GO AND SIN NO
MORE!”
I am going to start with what prophet Joseph Ice said "The knowledge of no
condemnation is the ability to live right” for the scripture says awake to
righteousness and sin no more. If you read john 8:2 , you will understand that
Jesus Christ did something very powerful in that scripture he said to the woman "
I DO NOT CONDEM YOU EITHER" you know what, He first gave her the power and
ability to live right and then he wonderfully depleted the strength and power of
sin by telling her His love for her is unconditional, she left the scene knowing that
even in her wrong acts of sin He still Loves her and will never condemn her and
then he said to her .
"GO AND SIN NO MORE"
He knew he has giving her the power to overcome sin and then he said to her go
and sin no more I tell you she will never commit that act again because she has
being empowered not to.

Ephesians 2:4
But God’s mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great, that while we
were spiritually dead in our disobedience he brought us to life with Christ. It is by
God's grace that you have been saved.
The law was desperate to stone her to death but the love of God that is
unconditional gave her life, there is power in the love of Jesus to make man
live right.

2 .What does it means to save?

Ok

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The phrase ‘To save’ in this context is an act of preventing something from
happening or an act of removing something or somebody from a bad state to
good(better) one.
And the scripture makes us to understand in the book of
Matthew 1:21 “that she will have a son and you will name him JESUS because he

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will SAVE his people from their SINS”.

So Christ came to redeem us from the curse of the law, HE was made curse for
our sake ,He saved us from the bondage of sin. He had a mission and he was
focused in accomplishing his mission.
John 1:29
“The next day John saw Jesus coming to him and he said there is the Lamb of God
who takes away the SIN of the world.”
John was able to identify with the prophecy when he saw him. So John said to the
people he alone is our hope and he our future. I will boldly tell you Jesus Christ is
our only hope and our future so if you have not yet accepted the love of God then
I will encourage you to do so now because that is the only way you can have the
nature of God, which can make you abstain from sin.
If you’re ready to accept him you can :
Say this prayer with me

Lord Jesus, I come to you. Thank you for dying on the cross to pay
the penalty for my sins. I receive you as my Savior and Lord. Thank
you for giving me the gift of eternal life’ For I am living a new life, with
you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Jesus. Amen."
Congratulations you are now born again!

Isaiah 53:4
“But he endured the suffering that should have been ours, the pain that we should
have borne was punishment sent by God. But because of our sins he was wounded
beaten because of the evil we did we are healed by the punishment he suffered
made whole by the blows he received”.

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 Glory to God!
We are victorious in a race we never participated in , the scripture calls it the gift
you never deserved. This is what the scripture means when it said our sins are
forgiven because of Christ

Ephesians 1:7
“In him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sin, according to
the riches of his grace.
We are no longer slaves to sin we are children of God having the abundance of
grace through blood”.
2corinthians 5-21
“Christ was without sin, but for our sakes God made him share in our sin in order
that in union with him we might share in the righteousness of God.”
There was this swap of nature ,we were given his nature and he was given ours,
it was like we exchange clothes. He became us and we became him. So for this
reason I can boldly scream
I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS!
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Let me share with us a story given by Benny Hynn in one of his books ” the
blood.”
During the days of slavery a gentleman happened to come across a slave bidding
exercise in a crowded street, he paused to observe the activities there and he saw
some slaves with their arms and legs shackled with ropes as though they were
animal merchandise, people were grabbing them disrespectfully to examine them
and suddenly this young man saw a frightened young girl standing behind .Her
eyes were filled with fear, so this girl was brought forward for sale and her
bidding started but this young man surprisingly gave twice of every selling price
offered for her, the entire place was quite in shock. So finally she was sold to him
he collected her and immediately they came down from the steps she spat on him
but he looked at her and smiled and said “follow me”, he took her to where

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papers were given for the freedom of slaves ;the manumission paper,” he
collected the paper and gave it to her and said take I bought you to set you FREE”.
And he said to her “ as far as you have this paper nobody can call you a slave
again” the fact that she spat on him did not change his mind. Jesus said on the
cross ” lord forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”. HE bought
you to set you free.

Galatians 5:1
“ Freedom is what we have Christ has set us free! Stand then as free people and
do not allow yourselves to become slaves again. Am no longer a slave I am a child
of God”.

3. His desires are?

God love us so much that he desires to have a beautiful relationship with us,
study and experience shows that knowing God's love for you can get you out of
any addiction, not only can it also put food on your table but give you a vital
relationship with God that will build you up.
I could remember when I accepted the love of Christ at first I was seriously
battling with addictions I was always falling and rising, I was never stable even
though I really wanted to grow. I found myself among people that made God look
so far, he was impossible to reach they gave me twenty reason why you can't
reach God . It was all about self, fear, condemnation and unbelief.
I found out it was impossible to reach this God. I was told things like “only ten
people will see the kingdom of heaven” and at that time I was very sure I was not
going to make the list so I decided to quit.
But in the processes of trying to quit I had an encounter that changed my life and
perspective of God for good. I encountered the truth of the Gospel the
unconditional love of God.

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 Love
I was told that in love the power of overcoming lies in faith in Christ Jesus, so after
a few study of scriptures like :

Philippians 3:9
“ And be completely united with him. I no longer have a righteousness of my own,
the kind that is gained by obeying the law. I now have the righteousness that is
given through faith in Christ, the righteousness that come from God and is based
on faith.”

Romans 1:17
“For the gospel reveals how god puts people right with himself: it is through faith
from the beginning to end. As the scripture says," The person who is put right with
God through faith shall live".

Faith in Christ Jesus is absolute dependence on God and his provision for us. I did
everything within my power to create a relationship I could boast of with him but
I was unable to, but when I heard the message of love I realized that God was so
interested in me and he was doing everything to reach me and not the other way
round he said in revelation 3:20 “for I knock on the door of your heart that if
anyone open I will enter and eat with them.” with this understanding I broke out
of addiction and my spiritual life grew like wide fire because I found out it was not
all about me.
God so wants to have a relationship with us that was why he gave us his only
son so we could have that bond. The day you accept the love of Christ, from that
day henceforth you are a citizen of heaven by birth, grace has given you the
license
GRACE IS SPEAKING
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Grace is not a topic, it is a person and that person is Jesus. Grace is an unmerited,
undeserved and unearned favor. There is no grace without the perfect sacrifice.
2Timothy 1:9
He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have
done but because of his love; he gave us this grace by the means of Christ Jesus
before the beginning of time. It is a free gift we never deserved.
Ephesians 1:7-8
“For by the blood of Christ we are set free that is our sins are forgiven how great
is the grace of god which he gave to us in such a large measure!”

Christ died on the cross according to prophesy, he was buried and he rose and for
this reason we are made right with God, his power within and upon us enable us
to do what in our own power or strength or knowledge cannot do.
Even when we were spiritually dead, morally evil, sinners, disobedient, and
betrayers, God’s mercy is still abundant ,I will like us to look at God from this
point of view, it would have taken him nothing to destroy the earth and build it
back in no time but he gave us an alternative his SON.

4.Who can keep the law?

Keeping the law is a mission I tag’ the impossible’ and why ? because you can't
keep it. God gave the law so that he brings man to the end of himself so man will
recognize that ‘ I can't do it I need a savior’.
For you to keep the law it has to be a hundred percent and do not get it twisted,
there are benefits in doing that, but another reality is that you can't keep the law
half way. Ninety nine, or eighty percent is called work done equals to zero, it does
not count, so if it is not a hundred percent, its nothing! but the good news is that
we have something far better , for the old covenant is old and is gradually fading
away.
And Paul said no one has kept the law like I did and I had all the benefits attached
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to obeying the law but Paul said something really catching, he said I left all for
LOVE.
He said for every one still with the old contract is under a curse but why do you
think he spoke like that? It’s because the new contract is better and I imagine him
wondering why people are still trekking when a plane has being provided to take
them to their destination, God has made provision that can make a man good,
just, and holy.

Philippians 3:6
“ And I was so zealous that I persecuted the church as far as a person can be
righteous by obeying the commands of the law I was without fault but all those
things that might count as profit I now RECKON AS LOSS FOR CHRIST SAKE.”

If you study the story of Paul you will find out that Paul was a learned man, a
Pharisee of Pharisees but he said he dropped everything he knew because he
found Love.
Joseph Prince said in one of his books” the more you are under the law the more
sin is strengthened conversely”, the more you are under grace the more sin will
be depleted of it strength.
Philippians 3:9
“ And be completely united with him i no longer have a righteousness of my own
(it is not about me) the kind that is gained by obeying the law i now have the
righteousness that is giving through faith in Christ.”

Surrender all to him and your hunger and thirst will be filled, the law wants you to
do what it says but Jesus said it is finished.
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5.Place of growth

Physical growth is growing in size, stature, attitude, value and in strength, but
when we talk about spiritual growth we are talking about knowledge, character
and spirituality. Spiritual growth has similarities with physical growth and as a
believer who has accepted Christ, it is expected of you to grow spiritually,
because it is very abnormal for a child to be given birth to and that child is not
growing. So how do you grow spiritually?
You grow when you feed both physically and spiritually if you notice you will find
out that children are not being forced to grow but they are being force to feed
because when you feed growth is inevitable, that is why we are encouraged to
feed on good diet so we grow properly, both spiritually and physically, so for you
to grow spiritually you need to feed on God's words ,you need to stay with the
word.
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while growing up there are certain things you do and nobody says anything
about them but when you do the same thing when you are grown everybody
pounces on you because everybody believes you are supposed to have outgrown
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such display. So also in the spiritual the more you stay with God’s words you
outgrow so many characters that are ungodly. Nobody needs to compel you to do
anything when you stay with the word, love will be your drive. The only thing that
happens to you when you refuse to grow is that you will find it very difficult to
enjoy all the provisions brought by the sacrifice not because they are not free but
because you can only enjoy what you know, knowledge is power and it provokes
possibilities.
The ability to take responsibility is an evidence of growth. A friend of mine once
said the day you declare ”I am not a child” that day you are saying is time to start
taking responsibility. When you start taking responsibility you create intimacy
between you and the father.
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Staying with the word of God opens your eyes to the reality of his provision and
how to access them, the two basic ways to access this provision is through prayer
and the word.

Jude 1:20
“ but you beloved ,build yourself up founded on your most holy faith making
progress, rising like an edifice higher and higher praying in the Holy Ghost.”

Prayer is a necessity for believer’s growth. That is why the scripture said he who
prays in an unknown tongue edifies himself. He builds up himself morally,
intellectually and he grows spiritually. Spend intentional time praying in the holy
ghost for the spirit of God helps you to pray well.
He told his disciples that I will go and send you a comforter the Holy Spirit and he
will help you in all things, stay with the word day and night that you might
observe and do according to what is written there in Joshua 1:8.
The word of God opens our eyes to our inheritance in Christ Jesus that was why I
said earlier that you can't enjoy what you don’t know. Spend intentional time
studying and meditating, to meditate also means to ponder on the scriptures,

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study books and attending impactful meetings to see that you grow.

6.The new life

For if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation old things have passed away and
behold everything is now new. New life, identity, and contract. We are recreated
to become unexplainable beings here on earth.
John 1:12
“But as many as receive him to them he gave the 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 the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

You are a child of God and he loves you dearly, it is not about your parents but it
is about receiving the finished work of Christ.
The scriptures says to show that we are his sons and daughters he gave us the
spirit of his elder son to dwell in our hearts This spirit screams “my father my
father” by this mere fact we are no longer slaves but sons and daughters of God.
And our lovely father has promised us everything attached to becoming a son of
salvation.

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Ephesians 1:13
And you also become God's people when you heard the true message, the good
news that brought you salvation. you believe in Christ so God put his stamp of
ownership on you by giving you the holy spirit ,he promised us, the spirit is a
guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised his people and this
assures us that God will give complete freedom to those who are his. let us praise
his glory.

I will go and I will send you a comforter that will lead you and direct you in all
things business, family, ministry and relationship.
John 14:26
“The helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, will teach you
everything and make you remember all that I have told you.”
God’s stamp of ownership is always on a believer.

See Jesus

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As Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be
lifted up.
The Israelites were to fix their eyes on the brazen serpent made by Moses so if
they were being beaten by the other serpents, the venom will have no effect on
them.
So should our eyes be fixed on Jesus, so remove your eyes from yourself and fix it
on Jesus, remove your eyes from the government and fix it on Jesus, remove your
eyes from your account and fix it on Jesus, remove your eyes from the doctor’s
report and fix your eyes on Jesus, for in Christ is where we can find help, and we
can cast all our cares on him cause he cares for us.
The devil thinks he is smart so what he does is to point you back to your flaws, he
has no power over a believer so when he tries to point you to your flaws point
him back the cross of Jesus were it all ended and reject his condemnation.
Like the popular CHH rapper KB said in one of his songs “if he brings up your past,
boy bring up his future”. Sin cannot be our master because we are no longer
under the law but under the grace of God.
1peter 2:24
Christ himself carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin
and live in his righteousness. It is by his wounds that you been made healed, you
were like a herd of sheep that lost their Shepherd and the keeper of their soul.
Let your eyes be on Jesus and be bold to come in to the throne of grace where
we can find mercy.

Galatians 2:21
“I refuse to reject the grace of God but if a person is put right with God through
the law it means that Christ died for nothing!” God forbid!

God does not mark or score by efficiency but by his goodness and faithfulness. If
you never did anything to receive this free gift, then what makes you think you
must do something to keep it, just fix your eyes on the giver, for the goodness of

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God to lead you to repentance.

Edited by
Max Abu Elani
Clement Ekpo Favour

Published by
TEX media

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Writing by
Dogara Abu

SCRIPTURE READING
Romans 6:6
John 8:2
Ephesians 2:4
Matthew 1:21
John 1:29
Isaiah 53:4
Ephesians 1:7

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Galatians 5:1
Philippians 3:9
Romans 1:17
2Timothy 1:9
Philippians 3:9
Jude 1:20
John 1:12
Ephesians 1:13
John 14:26
1Peter 2:24
Galatians 2:21

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