Jesus said you will do what I do and even more but when it comes to character there is nothing new however, we live as Jesus lived. When the devil comes, he tests the obedience of the Father and not of the gift. The devil tested Jesus with character Matthew 4. Men shall live by the Word meaning when the Father speaks they shall be obedience to His Word. There are some people who are able to compromise certain things for the sake of their gifts to accelerate. There are things they were told to do in order to attain those miracles, signs and wonders and they ended up compromising their own character. How can someone obtain the character of Christ without being taught? Therefore there must be a Father who teaches about the conduct of God; character is the main thing before any other thing.

Even when you hear the Word of God every Sunday, you must never get used to it because it will be without honor. We have four gospels which speak about one man (Jesus), why is that so? Luke, John, Matthew and Mark talk about Jesus in different ways. When I sit with my Father he would teach me something he taught a long time ago, but I don’t behave as if I know – when I choose not to know I realize that there is something new he teaches. Each and every scripture is perfected; the problem with the prophets who went to the valley of dry bones is that they went with the mentality of knowing hence they became dry. How can a generation change if there are no teachings? We hear of the God’s Generals but no one knows how they conquered daily challenges, no one knows their character or way of conduct but only the miracles they did.

It is important that you learn about God‘s way of conduct. When the devil comes he makes sure he comes and confronts the character. If it is anger that you have he comes right after that, he knows which button to press to cause you to manifest what is of the world. However a Father deals with the character. When Jesus was still young no one followed Him because He lacked character although His teachings were powerful. Never neglect the way of doing things. Grab every opportunity you get to learn character. The devil is not afraid of your revelations, he comes right in the lack of character. Someone has to teach you how to overcome offence. Do everything by the strength God has given you. The Israelites had a zeal without faith and because of that they became an unbelieving nation. When you exercise faith you please the Lord. Faith is not there for miracles, signs and wonders but it is there to give you strength. We need to be strengthened. Paul was strengthened to go to jail and Jesus was strengthened for the cross.

You can go through the hardships without grace but as a Christian you cannot move without the strength of God. When you move with a gift you are the one who needs to push it, but when it is the strength of God, He pushes you and in Him doing that there is no gift. Someone needs to take the gifts and cast them to God and allow Him to use them and strengthen you. Let us look at earthly musicians, the most talented end up taking drugs to keep them going, therefore talent could not keep them hence they end up taking substances. As a Christian you need to be strengthened. Some were in business and they stopped because there was no strength. 2 Timothy 2:1 “So you my son be strong constantly strengthened… this is Paul reminding Timothy to transfer the strength to other people who will be capable to teach others. Many artists died but no one was empowered to sing like them, this even goes to the God’s Generals. Why has the grace they had stopped?

He said as I suffer, share with me. Verse (3) “Take with you the share of hardship which you are called to endure, you are already called to endure hardships, but you need strength to keep you through them. You cannot be a Christian and not suffer. Lacking money is suffering. Partake with me and take your share. The difficulties are not meant to stay forever but pass through. There are times where persecutions become challenging but as time goes by you no longer feel anything because your mind is focused. The ministry of Paul was in jail and many got born-again through him. When Paul was released from jail he died in his old age but when you are strengthened you will continue doing what you do even when you are old.

Verse 4, become an active soldier at all times. Why do you want to be in God and still remain an ordinary person? The moment you become a partaker of sufferings you no longer become a normal person. With a gift you become normal. Some of you go to funerals and never preach there, rather you become an ordinary person. As a servant of God wherever you go you must touch lives. Let the other not cause the other to suffer. Many serve with gifts hence the bible says The spirit of the prophet is subjected to the prophet, this goes further to ushers and worshippers, etc. Many serve then stop, but the truth is that you cannot serve God and then stop whenever it suits you. Jesus says Serve as though you are working for God. Daniel, Shadrack and Abednego were very busy people because the king wanted them to be learned, however in that, they made sure they bow down and pray to God. They never compromised their belief. When they said We will not bow to any God – this is not limited to gods only but to anything that can prevent you from serving God.

Many say they bear the marks but they have never gone through hardship. Let the chains speak. Elisha went to Elijah asking to go home but when time came for going home he could not hence he went back and followed Elijah. The chains spoke for him. When Jesus was told that Lazarus was sick He did not run to him, He just continued preaching the Word of God. When He went to Lazarus people believed because Lazarus was raised. Separation goes with gifts; gifts accelerate where there is dirtiness. Some people bless marriages where there is dirtiness because it is a gift working, but when the Father comes He deals with character first and stops sin. Thus, others become offended. Let God dwell in and work in you.

When you are in business let God be there, He should delight in you. When Peter left Jesus he went back to fishing, and stopped fishing for man. Jesus asks, Peter do you love me? … Feed my sheep. There are something’s which do not allow you to be both in the world and the kingdom. Mark 16:18, and these signs will follow those who believe… those who believe will perform these signs not deliverance. What is a sign? A sign speaks, you cannot drink poison and people do not believe. You cannot sing and people remain the same, your serving must be a sign. Verse (14), later He appeared to the eleven and He rebuked their unbelief, they did not believe because they went back to do what they used to do. They were the same as the Israelites, their hearts did not believe.

Verse (16), those who have seen them already believe. Verse (17), these signs will follow those who believe, not the eleven because they did not believe. The signs confirm those who believe. Verse (20), God could not work in them but He worked with them, He was doing His own thing and they did their own thing. The signs were confirming what they preached. Signs must confirm the son. Not believing does not mean that Jesus is not Lord. Who did Jesus find Peter with when Jesus went to collect Peter? The eleven, and because of their unbelief God worked with them and not in them. Psalm 68:18 you have ascended on high he did not set them (the captive) free. When He ascended on high He took them – He still arrested them in the glory. They became captives of above. He was a Shepherd who showed them the way. Verse (18), you have received gifts among men… When He ascended on high they gave their gifts to Him. He did not receive gifts from men but among men, this is because men still want to have their own gifts. Ephesians 4:8, those who believe these signs shall follow them because He ascends with them. When you preach with a gift the Spirit does not confirm you. Mary Magdalene was already caught up and she was not alone. When He appeared to the many, there were those who believed and ascended with Him. To those who still operated in the gifts, He ordered them to wait in Jerusalem in Acts 1. When they waited, the gift was now subdued hence God could rest upon them. Had they continued with the gift they would have been tired, hence it was important for them to wait. The 24 elders had to leave their crowns and gave gifts but we still see people who run for those very crowns. They do not want to run the race but their eyes are on the crowns, they do not want to look at the master.

People must know that the Lord should work in you, not with you. Verse (13), till we all come to the unity of faith, while the other teaches and other prophesies there is no unity until we all wait. Unity is when we have the same mind – flying is for you, it is not for those with gifts. Isaiah 40:28, we must be available to do what God wants to do whether we are grown up or not. Work with the strength that you have received. Verse (29), you cannot increase or multiply where there is nothing, but all the times you will have something. You are not going to use your own strength to fly but God will carry you. We love people with gifts because they are adding in the kingdom yet they are working with God and not Him working in them. Let God work in you and let it not be you. When it is God you cannot decide what to do.

When God commands you to do something never stop until God says so. Philippians 2:13, not in your own strength…both to will and to work for His good pleasure. God creates the will and desire in you. Sometimes feelings seem louder than the voice of God in you; the desire is there to work for God even though there is desire to stop. Listen to the right voice, in your Christian journey there will be a voice that tells you to stop serving but listen to that small voice which tells you to continue. Let the Word channel the oil. Let the oil come upon the Word. When Elijah was on the mountain, earthquakes passed, fire blew up but still the Lord was not there. It took a gentle voice to instruct Elijah, so do not listen to all the noise around you but only the Word of God.

YESHUA; A CITY ON A HILL, THE LIGHT THAT CANNOT BE HIDDEN