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CHRISTOCENTRIC MEAL: DR ABEL DAMINA

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Dr Abel Damina

 

*SUNDAY APRIL 07, 2024*

*BAPTISM WITH THE SPIRIT (2)*

Acts 8:15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
Vs 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Vs 17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

After preaching the gospel in Samaria, Philip called on the Apostles to come and pray for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost (verse 15), as he was fallen on none of them, only were they baptized in the name of the Lord (verse 16).

Then in verse 17, they (the Apostles) laid hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost. What did the receiving of the Holy Ghost here mean?

Recall that these men had believed the gospel, and therefore born again, i.e. born of the spirit. Thus it will not be in reference to the indwelling of the spirit (which was already a reality).

Peter’s response to the request of Simon, the sorcerer helps our understanding.

Acts 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Vs 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

The word “matter” used by Peter in verse 21 is one that has to do with speaking or utterance. Hence, what Simon must have seen was that by the laying on of the hands of the Apostles, there was supernatural speaking (which explains receiving the Holy Ghost or the Holy Ghost coming upon them).

Another account in the book of Acts with Paul at Ephesus buttresses this fact.
Acts 19:2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
Vs 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
Vs 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Vs 5 When they heard this,they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Vs 6 And Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

These men had been baptized with water, but Paul’s query above indicated that they were not yet saved. Hence Paul pointed them to how that John baptized with the baptism of repentance saying that they should believe on him who should come after him that is on Christ Jesus.

Now upon this, they believed (that is, were baptized in the name of Jesus in verse 5, which could not have been referring to water as they had already been baptized with water, being John’s disciples).

In verse 6, Paul then laid his hands on them, and the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

Thus the term “the Holy Ghost came on them” was used to refer to the fact that they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

Peter also employed the use of similar words when narrating what happened in the the house of Cornelius:
Acts 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
Vs 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Vs 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

Let us observe some of the facts here:
He explained that as he spoke, the Holy Ghost “fell on them as on us at the beginning”. Thus pointing to a similarity of this with what happened in Acts 2.

In verse 16, he related this to the baptism with the Holy Ghost which Jesus had spoken of in Acts 1:5. He explained that God gave these folks the like (the same) gift as he did unto them.

Therefore we can see that the baptism with the Holy Ghost, receiving the Holy Ghost and “the Holy Ghost coming upon” were used to relate to utterances, that is, tongues and prophecy.

Hence the use of these terminologies were not to refer to the indwelling of the spirit, as this will imply (in the case of those at Samaria) that a man can be born again and yet not have the spirit in him, but we have since established that the new birth is to be born of the spirit. Such a man has the spirit, rather, these terms (“baptized with the Holy Ghost”, “receiving the Holy Ghost” and “the Holy Ghost coming upon”) point to an activity so described – supernatural utterances, in other words, tongues and prophecy.

Confession: “I am born of the spirit, the spirit of God lives in me. Based on this I can yield myself to function via supernatural utterances: to speak with tongues and to prophesy!”

Religion

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Francis Spotted Ushering At Shiloh 2025 (Video)

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A viral video captures Delta State Governor, Sheriff Francis carrying out ushering duries at the ongoing Shiloh 2025.

‎It would be recalled that Shiloh 2025 commenced on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, and will wrap up on Sunday, December 14, 2025.

In the video, which has sparked mixed reactions online, the governor is seen in a suit as he carries out ushering duties.

‎ However, a young man in a suit is spotted behind him while the choir sings on.

Reactions Trailing Below……
‎Nna Aguwa remarked, “So people are still moved by this act ? So if i stand in as an usher i will automatically be a wonderful person . No be today them dey show us well dedicated usher and pastors wey be kingpins”.

Pamela kin, “So can’t he be an usher again what’s so special about him wey him no fit be conductor”.

Elder Ajayi, “The difference he could make as a governor matters most don’t forget Judas was a leading Apostle before he fell”.

‎David Gladys, “So waiting come happen ? He knows d benefits of serving God and that’s why he’s doing it I no see any big deal way make bloggers carry am way God dey bless am for his service in his presence”.

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Politics

N1.4 Trillion not enough to get me into politics – Bishop Oyedepo reveals

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The founder of Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, has said he will never take part in partisan politics, not for even billions of naira.

He stated that no amount of money, including “$1 billion,” (1.4 Trillion naira) would make him join politics.

Oyedepo made this known during an impartation service at Shiloh 2025 held at the church’s headquarters in Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State.

 

He explained that partisan politics is not part of his life’s calling and that is why he has chosen to stay away from it.

In his words: “In 2015, I warned the church that trouble was coming. Didn’t trouble come?

“Partisan politics is off my calling. If you give me $1 billion to join politics, I won’t, because it is off my course.”

The bishop also said the world is in urgent need of God’s intervention because of the times we are living in.

He added, “The world is groaning in darkness, but as written in Romans 8:19, the whole world is waiting for the earnest manifestation of the sons of God.”

According to him, believers are being trained as an end-time army to bring solutions to national and global problems, similar to what biblical figures like Joseph and Daniel did.

 

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Religion

Adeboye explains why he no longer employs female secretaries

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Adeboye

General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has shed light on why he no longer employs female secretaries, linking the decision to his desire to avoid situations that could jeopardise his spiritual focus.

The 83-year-old spoke on the subject during his sermon titled “Jonah Must Go” on day two of the Holy Ghost Congress 2025 at the Redemption Camp, Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. The church uploaded the sermon on its YouTube page on Tuesday.

Adeboye recalled that he once had a female secretary while serving at Ebute Metta in Lagos State, but decided to dismiss her when he moved to the camp, believing the change was necessary for his spiritual discipline.

He said he made the choice because he wanted the “Jonah” in his life to depart.

Adeboye said: “From the moment I got to this campground, from the moment I got to a stage where at night I still have to work, I ceased to have a female secretary. Some people think it is gender discrimination. I know myself. I know who I was before Jesus saved my soul.

“I see the possibility of being left alone at night with the opposite sex. Oh, but if you are to get a secretary like the last one I had, she was a wonderful child of God.

“She was my secretary at Ebute Metta. Wonderful lady. True child of the living God. And when I arrived, I knew I would still be in the office at 3 a.m. And I could imagine, after a long day’s work, everybody finally sees the last visitor. And then my secretary comes at 2 a.m.

“’We are through now, sir. Is there any way I can help you? Like, you know, a cup of tea to relax?’ Jonah must go.”

He also shared examples involving two RCCG pastors whom he advised to dismiss their female secretaries. According to him, one pastor obeyed and later became “a great man of God,” while the other ignored the advice and eventually strayed.

“There is one of my sons here. A great man of God. When he started, his ministry was tiny. He came to me from the north. He said, ‘Daddy, I have a problem.’ I said, ‘What’s your problem?’ He said, ‘I always feel excited when it is Monday.’ ‘What’s the problem with that?’ He said, ‘Because I’ll be going to the office on Monday.’ I said, ‘Yeah, what’s the problem?’ He said, ‘The reason I feel excited about going to the office on Monday is that I want to see my secretary again.’

“He said, ‘What should I do? What’s wrong? What prayer?’ I said, ‘Prayer? As soon as you get home, sack her. Pay whatever you have to pay.’ He said, ‘Yes, sir.’ He got back to the office the following Monday. And told the girl, ‘Thank you very much. We’ll pay you this much for notice. But you, you cease to be my secretary from today.’ She erupted. Not that I blame her.

“I know where you are coming from. You’ve gone to visit that stupid man you call your father. My son says, ‘Call him stupid. Just go.’ Today, he is a great man of God. Why? Because Jonah had gone,” he said.

The cleric explained that the second pastor, who once led an RCCG church in the United States, was later relieved of his position after refusing to dismiss his secretary. The pastor eventually married the secretary and started his own ministry.

“I had another son, who was pastoring one of our big churches in America. And I had some things. So I brought him here. I told him, ‘Sack that secretary.’

“He said, ‘You’re joking, sir. We’re not talking about Nigeria. We’re talking about America.’ I said, ‘Is that so? Sack her.’ He said, ‘No way.’ Well, at the end of the day, we had to relieve him. The husband of the secretary was cross with me.

“Took a harsh decision. Only for him to discover. I think four out of the five children the woman had belonged to a former pastor. And it didn’t end there. It wasn’t long before the lady chased the pastor out. And became the owner of the pastor. God has mercy on pastors. Anything that can truncate your destiny.”

Addressing the congregation, Adeboye urged Christians to sever ties that do not aid their spiritual growth, adding that ending such relationships may also help the other party.

“When you look at the parable of Jonah. You may begin to say, ‘If I cut off this relationship. If I throw Jonah into the ocean…’ Leave the rest to God. The God of all flesh. Until they threw Jonah into the sea. He wasn’t going to where God wanted him to go. Leave the rest to the God of all flesh,” Adeboye said.

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