 Okay, welcome back after the break. Just before we went for a break, we were looking at chapter 5 preaching, okay, and we are looking at this point was importance of rightly dividing the word and maintaining sound doctrine. Even as we preach God's word, we need to, you know, ensure that we are not just talking about some, you know, stories, man made stories, or just some narratives or some stories that are in the Bible, which we speak from our own understanding, you know, or what we have heard before, or understanding of what people are sharing with us, you know, but we need to, or in our own imaginations, or just talk about things that are based on, you know, some truths that we've heard before, or some philosophies, but we need to teach the word of God based upon, you know, biblical interpretation, understanding that scripture passage that was in context, you know, the cultural context, the literary context, you know, why the writer was writing that to whom he was writing it in what context he was writing it, historical setting, historical perspective. So all of these perspectives we need to make note of, and then we need to correctly preach and teach God some word and that is using biblical interpretation, you know, and also interpret scripture in the light of the rest of other scripture, not just taking one scripture passage, and then speaking it out of context, you know, because, you know, one scripture passage, or one verse will always have its interpretation or meaning in other scripture verses, so we need to look at other scripture verses and interpret this, you know, the passage that we are wanting to preach or teach or the verse that we are wanting to preach or teach in the light of the entire scripture, interpret it in the light of other scripture passages as well, and, you know, we need to use biblical interpretation, which I think you will learn next semester or in the second year. So we need to rightly divide the word of God and teach God's word in its context, in its meaning, in what God has intended it to be in the place that it is, and how God has intended for us to, you know, reveal the truth in here. The next thing is we need to build people precept upon precept, that is what we read in Isaiah chapter 28, verse 9 and 10, for precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, here a little, there a little. So, you know, how God works or deals with us in revealing his truth or revelation is that he does not just give everything to us at one go, okay. He treats us like children when it comes to teaching us his truth or revelation, even Jesus says, you know, I'm not revealing everything to you because you will not be able to understand, but you know, he says the Holy Spirit will come and he will reveal the other things, but Jesus says I will reveal to you what is appropriate at this time, what is sufficient for you, what you will be able to understand at this time. And that is what he teaches, that is what he reveals, but that is, he says there is more to come, which, you know, the spirit of truth will reveal or make known to you. So, even as children, you know, when they go to different grades in school, they start learning math and English and science, but every year, you know, they learn much more on that same subject. The same way, you know, when we are teaching and teaching our audience, we need to know where they are in their journey of faith with God, where they stand in their spiritual maturity. And so we need to teach them as much as they can proceed. Now, for example, you know, all of you here are learning about the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, especially the in-person students are having supernatural hour every day. And then you go back to your church and you want to just teach people because your desire is that, you know, they also know how much you know. So you want to teach them of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, about the supernatural. And you're just teaching them and it's all, you see, they're not able to receive it. They're going beyond about their head or, you know, people don't stop coming for the church services. It's because, you know, they are not mature enough to come to that place where they're able to understand all of this. So we need to see where people are, the level of their understanding, their work with God, bring them up to that level where you can start teaching them about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. So before you speak about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, I'm just giving this as an example. You know, you can talk about who the Holy Spirit is. Okay, we have the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. So you can talk about the Holy Spirit, the person of the Holy Spirit. When you start talking about the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit, then you start, you know, they're receiving it. They are coming to that place where they're able to understand. Then you, as you're led by the Spirit, you can talk about the work of the Holy Spirit, what the Holy Spirit does. You know, how is a helper, a guide, and then you can talk about the gifts. So, you know, you take them from step to step. You just don't go and, you know, start talking about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but you need to make known to them who the Holy Spirit is. What is his work in their lives? Then move on to the mature thing. So, you know, we also need to impart truth upon truth so that, you know, little by little reveal the truth to people so that they're able to receive it, digest it, understand it, you know, appropriated in their own lives. And then you can, you know, lead them to the next step. So, even as they move on from one step to another, they might have questions and doubts, you know, you clarify that, and then, you know, they're in a better position to receive. The same way, like for children, you know, when children are one year, two years, you just don't give them a whole chicken piece, or you don't give them a full, you know, fried fish, or you don't just, you know, give them a whole big meal, which they have to eat by themselves. You see the mother rooming all the thorns in the, you know, that is bones at that, sorry, not thorns, bones in the fish, you know, and, you know, you remove the chicken, you remove the shred, the meat, you just give them that, you don't give them the bones. Just the same way we need to do with people of God, you know, the way we teach them, teach them truth upon truth, slowly step by step. The next thing is to bring a word in season, you know, like we read in Isaiah chapter 50 verse 4 and Proverbs 25 verse 11, can somebody please read those two verses please? Isaiah 54, chapter 50 verse 4 and Proverbs 25 verse 11. Isaiah 54, the Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak. A word in season to him who is weary, he awakens me morning by morning, he awakens my ear to hear as the learned. Proverbs 25 verse 11, the right word at the right time is like a custom made piece of jewelry. Thank you Prince. Amen. So here we see that, you know, we need to know the times and seasons that people are in. So even as you're invited to preach in a church or in a group, you know, you can ask God, God, I do not know these people where they are and they walk with you in their journey with you, which season of life they are in. You know, show me what message or passage or scripture that I need to take to and give me the message, you know, to preach to them. And you know, when you do that, you know, your God gives you the shows you the passage, you can even get a download of a sermon. You know, what God wants you to preach, you know, when I have preached many often, you know, I'm just praying and I just receive a download means I just receive all the points what I need to preach. And I just put it down and then I go to other scriptures and look at scripture study it and then, you know, prepare my sermon, but you know, I receive a download. I'm just saying it because, you know, we all can receive a download. We don't just receive a download from Google, but you know, we can receive a download from God, He Himself gives us in parts into our hearts what we need to preach the points. And I've seen those sermons are really very, very powerful. So be sensitive to the areas God wants you to focus on areas he wants you to build and strengthen people and the areas what he wants you to empower people in that specific season. And he will, you know, help you and guide you what to preach and teach. And like we read in Proverbs chapter 25 verse 11. Of course, it's from the message Bible put very beautifully a right word the right time, which means a right sermon, the right teaching at the right time is like a custom made piece of jewelry. No custom made piece of jewelry is something that you design, you want you envision it, you see it, you want these kinds of stones, these pearls, these diamonds, whatever you want. And it's just made exactly how you want it so that and exactly to fit your neck or ears or hands or whatever. And it's just so perfect and beautiful. So that is how is a sermon when we preach it to people in their context in their season in whatever challenges and difficulties that you are going through. You know, the next thing is, you know, even as we preach and teach, we, you know, one we are under pressure sometimes to to make known fresh revelations or the truth of God's word to people. And we want to give people fresh and new revelation. So sometimes God can give us fresh and new revelations when we study his word when we take time to prepare. You know, God is faithful and sincere. Even as we are faithful and sincere, he will impart fresh revelations to us. We can preach it sometimes when we receive a revelation from other men and women of God, which we've heard from other churches, something that we have read. Then, you know, you're not sure about it. It's good to hold on to it for some time. You know, try to read about it from the whole of scripture, see what scripture entire scripture is talking about it. Because, you know, whenever there's a revelation that we receive, it will have to go according to God's word. The standard is God's word. And the other standard is the Holy Spirit, the spirit and the word will agree with the revelation. That's what we read in 1 John 5 verse 7. So the Holy Spirit will also reveal if it's something that is a revelation from God. If it's not a revelation from God, the Holy Spirit will, you know, give it to us through promptings or steering our heart. There's no peace, there's restlessness, whatever. But if you receive a revelation like this, test it in scripture, ask the Holy Spirit to the inner witness of the Holy Spirit, the voice of the Holy Spirit, whatever. You know, to affirm that revelation is the truth, it's the right thing. Or you can also, you know, speak, discuss it with other senior men and women of God. And then if you think that it is the right revelation, then you can release it or teach it to the people. But sometimes if you teach a wrong revelation, then it's very difficult for us to take back what we have thought. The other thing we need to, we can keep in mind is don't, you know, be afraid to teach, you know, go back on old treasures, you know, old topics that you have, or sermons that you have taught. You know, there's always a new perspective that we can bring, okay, in whatever we have written. I know I've written this, I've written a catalyst curriculum. I wrote it in 2008, but now it's almost, you know, almost 12 plus years since I've written that catalyst curriculum. So now when I'm teaching it and I was thinking, oh, I should have, I should add this, I should add this because there's so much of learning that I have also received in the last 12 years. The same with the children's search curriculum that I'm writing. You know, when I look back on the old topics, you know, I think, okay, I need to add this next time and I'm revising this topic, this is what I need to write. So it's always good to go back to old sermons, revise it, add new revelations and teach it to people, okay. Stay current, but avoid theological digressions. That means don't go away into, you know, into faulty teaching, wrong teaching, wrong doctrines. You know, as ministers of God, we need to stay current in the present truth. That means what are the things God is revealing in our present day? What is the move the Holy Spirit? We need to study that. We need to see it in the light of scripture and if it's according to what scripture says and it's according to what the Holy Spirit is leading us, then, you know, we need to preach and teach about it, okay. So just to give you a couple of examples, you know, the truth about Holy Spirit, baptism and about the Holy Spirit, you know, in the early 1900s, you know, in the Azusa Street revival, people began experiencing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and that led to the Pentecostal movement. And, you know, in the Pentecostal movement in the early days, we see people, you know, for days on and, you know, they were just praying, crying out to God to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Okay, this is happening in the 90s, okay, 1900s. But in the recent years, we've seen that, you know, we don't have to spend, you know, days or months or weeks or hours just, you know, chatting with God for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Today, we know that, you know, we can just share God's word and we can just help people pray for them to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It just happens in a couple of minutes or within an hour's time. But we observe here that the body of Christ has grown in its understanding of the truth of Holy Spirit baptism and how to apply the truth. Okay, before they used to spend days on end or hours, but today we just have to spend an hour to teach about it and pray and people are receiving the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. To give an example from God's word, in Acts chapter 18, verses 24 to 26, we see that Apollos, who was, you know, a strong minister of God, but he only knew the baptism of John the Baptist. So when he met with this couple of people and Priscilla, who were at Rome and ministering at Rome, but they had to leave Rome because the persecution, they came to Corinth and, you know, they met, they met Apollos. We see that they realized that Apollos, though he was preaching God's word, he was very outdated. He just knew till the baptism of John the Baptist. He did not know about, you know, the Great Commission baptism by fire and water, Holy Spirit baptism, the finished work of the cross. That is the good news of the gospel. And so what they do is they teach, you know, they teach Apollos about this. And then we see that, you know, they explain to him more accurately about God's word. We read about this in Acts chapter 18, verses 24 and 26. And we also see that Paul did the same with the believers at Ephesus in Acts chapter 19 verses 1 to 6. We read about this. So we need to stay current, you know, what's the move of God, what God is moving, how the Holy Spirit is moving, what people are experiencing in the body of Christ. We need to learn about that, read about that, know about it. And then we need to also preach and teach about it. But we need to be careful that as we, you know, look at the moves of God, you know, we don't go off tangent, you know, but stay to the doctrines that are revealed to us in scripture, the theological truths that are there. And even as we talk about the moves of God and stay current in the moves of God, we also need to, you know, give equal importance to the rest of the truths contained in scripture. If not, we can lead people astray. You know, sometimes we can overemphasize the truth and not give importance to scripture. Sometimes, you know, if I overemphasize the truth and give it more importance than what scripture does, you know, it's dangerous. Sometimes, you know, if we give more importance to the truth than what is contained in scripture, that can also lead people astray. So, you know, what should be, how can people be led astray is, you know, just to give you a couple of examples, when we overemphasize blessing and prosperity without talking about, you know, sacrifice, giving contentment, then it's going to lead people astray. Okay, because the word of God says, Godliness with contentment is great gain. That's what Paul writes to Timothy. Okay, so if you're just emphasizing on this, on blessings and prosperity, but we're not talking it alongside with the truth in the scripture that, you know, we need to also sacrifice, we need to give, we need to be content. Then we can receive blessing and prosperity. It can lead people astray. Another area where it can lead people astray, an example is when we emphasize grace over godly living, godly purity, and responsibility. Okay, so people take the grace of God for granted, and they think whatever they do, you know, they're already saved, they're going to heaven. God's grace is more than sufficient, he will forgive, but that is misusing God's grace. So we need to talk about grace, but also to talk about it in the context of Godly living, purity, and our responsibility towards what God has given to us. Otherwise we'll end up talking about super grace, hyper grace and lead people astray. We can, you know, also lead us, people astray when, you know, when we challenge people with what God's word says, for example, we deny the existence of heaven and hell. It can lead people astray, you know, we can teach people that, you know, there are many ways to, you know, for us to be saved. For example, people think, you know, when they come and take communion, you know, they'll be saved. You know, but we know that salvation is only true faith in Jesus Christ. Okay, so there's no other way that we can be saved. It's not by keeping rituals. It's not by giving to church. It's not by doing good or feeding the poor. It's not by giving money to the orphans, orphanages, or just taking communion that, you know, is going to cleanse us of our sins. But we receive forgiveness of sins only by grace through faith. Okay, we can receive only salvation by grace to faith in Christ Jesus in what he has done on the cross that is through repentance and receiving the forgiveness of our sins. And that should be preached more clearly than other things. When we talk about other things and not talk about sin and forgiveness and salvation by grace to faith, and I believe in Jesus Christ, then we are leading people astray. You know, if you're just talking about science, miracles, and wonders, that should accompany our preaching of the gospel. But let us, you know, not focusing on, you know, salvation of souls, then it is also leading people astray. Because we're, again, becoming like the Old Testament, you know, keeping the law, you know, doing by works. You know, salvation is not by works, by our good works, but it is by, you know, our faith in Jesus Christ. Okay, so not focusing just on science, miracles, and wonders that can save people. But it's the salvation of their souls that will bring about healing and deliverance that will help them to see miracles in their life. Okay, so these are some of the things that, you know, that can lead people astray when we focus on, you know, some of these things by over-emphasizing the truth, rather than giving more importance to what scripture says, then it can lead people astray. The other thing we need to, you know, be aware of is, you know, when we hear about different cults in our own city, or a cult group coming up, a cult church growing, people are just leaving the churches and going to that cult church, then what we need to do is, we shouldn't talk about what is, what the cults are teaching, what is wrong, but we need to teach people the truth. When we teach people the truth, they will be able to apply the truth when they are, you know, facing cults or false teachings or false doctrines. So like we read here in John chapter one, verse five, can somebody read that please? John chapter one, verse five. John chapter one, verse five, and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. Thank you, Sri Radha. So here, what dispels darkness? It's light, right? It's light that dispels darkness. So the only way that we can overcome darkness is by putting on the light, or, you know, it's just by bringing a torchlight into a dark, in a dark place, in a dark environment. So it's a light that dispels darkness. In the same way, if you want to get rid of wrong teachings and false teachings and doctrines, don't mention those false teachings and doctrines and what they are teaching and going into those, what their teaching is all about, but what we need to do is to put out that false teaching and doctrines. We need to amplify the truth, just like, you know, to overcome darkness, we bring in the light the same way to overcome false teachings and doctrines. We don't highlight the false teachings and doctrines, but we amplify the truth or we make the truth known, and we make the truth known in a plain, simple, loud, clear way. And, you know, when we do that, people will be able to differentiate right from wrong and truth from false teachings and doctrines. So as ministers of God, as people who are being trained to teach God's word, you know, as Bible college students, it's our responsibility to protect people whom God has entrusted to us from wrong doctrines. The best way to keep people grounded in the truth and, you know, keeping them away from wrong teaching is to preach the word, preach the truth, amplify the truth, you know, and convince people of the truth. Rebuke means, you know, having arguments presented to convince the truth. Like we read in 2 Timothy chapter 2, chapter 4 verses 2 and 4. Look at what Paul is writing to Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 2 and 4 in verse 2. He says, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhaust with long suffering and teaching. So how are we to teach the truth? We have to preach the truth, amplify the truth, convince people of the truth and rebuke. Rebuke means not, you know, shout at them or judge them or condemn them and say, listen to this truth and follow this truth. It's not that. It's like, you know, we're presenting arguments in a convincing way about the truth so that people are convinced enough to know what is the truth. Okay. The next thing when we're preaching is no flattery, no, don't exhort people, extortion, sorry, not extortion. Don't extort people and no self-promotion. Okay. You know, people use pulpit for various reasons. You know, they use it to flatter people just to speak nice about the rich people in the congregation. Some ministers of God come, some politician comes, you know, you know, just flatter them, speak high of them, make them stand up, give them places of important seats in the church or in the hall that you're meeting. Or sometimes, you know, we can even, you know, use it for self-promotion when we are promoting our own selves, you know, talking about how anointed we are, you know, we went and preached here and there. You know, the places in the world that we preach, how many people, you know, receive the gospel, how many people were healed in the crusades, how many crusades we conducted, how many books we wrote, how many songs we wrote, you know, all this is self-promotion. And the other thing is don't, you know, you know, rob people of their money. Okay. So, you know, sometimes when we are preaching or teaching, you know, we can say, you know, the Spirit of God is telling me that 10 people here, you know, are going to give in one lack. Towards the work of my ministry or my organization or to my church. So I want those 10 people to stand up and, you know, we just forcing people and then, you know, 10 people feel compelled to stand up. They stand up and then you say, you know, take out everything that is there in your pocket, in your wallet or in your handbag. And then, you know, or whatever jewelry that you're wearing, just give it because this is what the Spirit of God is telling me. You know, this is not right. This is not what God wants us to do. You know, this is, you know, cheating people. This is robbing them. It's daylight robbery, so to say. You know, so don't force people to give, you know, whatever they want to give in the offering bag. Just invite them to give as they want to for the Lord, to Lord's work, whatever they wish, whatever the Lord is putting their hearts, just give it. And, you know, when we do that, we see that, you know, God would bless the work that we are doing because we're not robbing or stealing people. We're not cheating them, but people are just giving out of their own heart as the Spirit is leading, giving us unto the Lord and God will just bless that. You know, our God is a God who blesses the little, the five loaves and two fish is a good example that we can hold on in our ministry, in our own person lives. You know, don't say, okay, I'm not working in this. God wants you to minister in a specific way. And you say, I'm not going to work in this place because, you know, I know God has called me here. This is the place he wants me to be, but I'm not going. I can't be here because I'm not paid too much. You know, it's difficult for me, so I'm going to leave. But what we can do is we can just take that little to the Lord and our God is a God who multiplies, a God who blesses. You know, a God who's promised us that, you know, for the priests, the Levites, they did not get a portion of the land or the other tribes God and God told them I am your portion. You know, just imagine when God is our portion, we don't, we will not lack any good thing. Those who trust in him will lack no good thing. Okay, so just trust him for your needs and he will just provide. I remember when I was in Bible College and I went from our internship and I was working in this organization in Kolkata and, you know, one of our teaching faculty came to meet me. The teaching faculty go and meet all the students who are ministering in various places. And then he asked me how much do they pay you. So I told them that they pay me just 250 rupees. So says he was shocked. He said how do you manage 250 rupees for a month in a city as big as this and traveling and all of those things. So he said, you know, I will speak to the director and say this is very less and he needs to pay you more. I said, no, please don't do that. It's almost, you know, I've completed five, six months here and just one more month to go. And, you know, God has provided my needs is taking care of, I know I lack times at times because Kolkata is a hot place. You know, sometimes traveling by the bus, I get down and the bus cop is just, you know, it's just near that bakery where they have all of these cool drinks. And sometimes I'm so thirsty. So, you know, I just want to have a cool drink, but I just don't have the money. Sometimes just walking a long distance in the sun in that heat. But I just told him, you know, the challenges, but I think this is what God is training me. And this is what I think, you know, it's okay. I don't want you to ask because money is not of importance. I don't want him to think that, you know, I have complained to you and I'm here for money, but I'm here just to serve God. God is taking care of my needs. And I can, I can't just tell you how wonderfully God just took care of my needs in that city, in that new city. For the first time going there, how wonderfully he's provided more than I could even ask, think or imagine. What our God can do. Okay. So don't, you know, rock people of their money. Don't force them to give. Don't engage. You don't use the pulpit for a self promotion. Okay. Even when you're sharing your own personal life testimony, you know, ask yourself, why am I sharing this? What is my motivation for people to know how great I am? How anointed I am? How powerful I am? Why are you doing this? Are you doing it to bring, you know, so that God can be glorified so that people can be, you know, encouraged, comforted, strengthened. Even as you share your own personal life story so that God can receive all the glory and all. Okay. The next thing is don't give the devil pulpit time. You know, if you read Nehemiah chapter eight was four and six, we see the reverence that people gave to the reading of the book of the law. So here is Ezra, he's taken the book of the law, not all the common people don't have the book of the law like we have the Bible in our hands in the Old Testament times. When he stood up, you know, all the people, and Ezra opened the book of the law, all the people stood up, they lifted their hands, they bowed their heads, they even fell prostrate on their faces to God, to the ground. That is the reference they gave the word of God. So even as we preach and teach God's word, we need to know that we are standing there in the place of God. We are assembling God. We are in the place where people are seeing Christ in and through us. So we are there not to promote ourselves, not to promote some politician, not to, you know, some political agenda, to promote a business that we have or not using the pulpit to get back at people in our congregation who don't like us, who are gossiping about us or talking bad about us. It's a good time, you know, to use the pulpit time, the pulpit phase to, you know, space to, you know, to clarify ourselves, to, you know, to defend ourselves. Back is not the time to do it. You know, it's a place, it's a holy time where we're talking about God's holy word. We need to give reverence to God, the time that people are giving to us to preach and teach God's word and also proclaim it under the power of the Holy Spirit. Okay, don't draw people to yourself. Even as you preach and teach, you know, as it says in John chapter seven was 18. Can one of you please read that? John chapter seven was 18. He who speaks from himself, himself, seek his own glory, but he who seek the glory of the one who saw him is true and, and to, and unrighteousness is in him. Thank you, Nina. So here, you know, when we preach and teach, we don't preach and teach for our own self promotion so that people love us. They have a great fan following. You know, more people will come to our church. We have more supporters. But, you know, when we preach and teach, it says we do it to seek the glory of the one who sent us so that when we do it in a way that's honoring God, it brings him glory. You know, there is no unrighteousness that will be found in, in us. Okay. So when we preach and teach, you know, we should do so in a way that people will be drawn to go after God, to desire to seek God, to love him, to worship him and love his word and not just love us in return. Okay. So to be a true minister of God is one who desires that the Lord alone be glorified and nothing of self to be promoted. The last point here is don't cause division and offense in the body of Christ. You know, when we preach and teach, don't use this as an opportunity to get back at people. You know, to cause, when we get back at people that leads to division and strife, people can easily understand what you're saying, even though you're not saying it directly or saying it indirectly, they can catch it. That will lead to more division, more gossip, more hatred and anger in the church. Don't use the pulpit or the teaching time, the preaching time, you know, to talk about other ministers, men and women of God, other denominations to put them down so that people come only to your church and only think you are the anointed man of God. You are the only person who is called by God and others are all devils. You don't use that for the pulpit time. The preaching time, the teaching time for all of these things, because when we do, you know, it will just bring about division and, you know, and strife in the body of Christ. As Paul writes the church at home in Romans chapter 16 verse 17 and 18, he says, you know, those who teach all these false doctrines are doing it not to serve God, but their own bellies. That means their own stomach and they do it by their smooth words, flattering speech, but with deception in their hearts and they're doing it, you know, not with a gender to lead people to Jesus Christ, but because, you know, people can follow them. They can, you know, get money from them and, you know, they use flattering speech and deceive the hearts of people. Okay. That is the end of chapter five. Any questions on this chapter? Excuse me, ma'am. Yes? Ma'am, it's not questioning the chapter. It's about our examination actually. Okay. So is there going to be based on only the three books I read till now or? Yeah, Sean, can I answer this question after class is over? Is that okay? Because it's just pertaining to the online students. Is that okay, Sean? Yes, ma'am. Okay. Thank you. Any questions regarding chapter five? Go ahead. Okay. Online students, anyone has any questions? Okay. If there are no questions, then we move on to chapter six. Anointing. Okay. What do we mean by anointing? Anyone has any idea? We talk about anointing. What do we, what are we meaning? Any answers? We talk about the word anointing. What does it mean? Okay. Thank you, Nina. Nina John says, it's the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. Yes. Anointing basically means the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. You know, so, you know, Paul reminds us that we are just earthen vessels. That means we are just mud clay pots. We are so weak, vulnerable, anytime, you know, mud pots are just of not much value, right? But then, if you put gold in that mud pot, what happens? It is of greater value. So, you know, we are just earthen vessels, but it's the anointing in us. It's the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit that is, you know, through us, which brings about, which leads people to repentance of sins. We baptize the Holy Spirit, you know, to be saved and healed and delivered. And, you know, science miracles and wonders, all is happening not because of us. It's not because we are spiritually mature. It's not because we are very strong in the Lord. The Lord loves us more than anybody else. No, it's because of the anointing that is in us. And of course, the level of anointing that flows out of our lives depends upon our intimacy with God, our relationship with God, the amount of time you spend in your time in your fellowship, your intimacy of building your relationship with God to prayer, worship, reading God's Word, you know, greater the level of anointing. But the anointing does not mean that, you know, we are greater than the Holy Spirit, or we are super spiritual, we are super powers, you know, but it's just the Holy Spirit that is working in and through us. If it's not for the power of the Holy Spirit that is working in and through us, or the anointing of the Holy Spirit that has its presence and power that is working in and through us, you know, we cannot preach or teach or, you know, leads in us to repentance. People's lives cannot be transformed. We can never see healing and deliverance. So never think that it's the person who is doing it, or it's us who is doing all of it. We need to always acknowledge that it is the work of the Holy Spirit in and through that person, okay? The anointing and gifts are given to serve people as we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 14, 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 5. So can somebody read that please? 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Corinthians 14, 2 Corinthians 4, 5. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the prophet of all. Even so, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. We will not preach ourselves for Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves, your bond servants, for Jesus' sake. Thank you, Sean. So here we, in these three scripture passages, we learn that the gifts are given for the common good. Okay, it's the second thing we can learn is the gifts of the Spirit are given for the building up of the body of believers. And it's not just given for one individual where one individual can be elevated above others. But the third thing we can learn is that the gifts of the Spirit are given as a channel to which people are served. Okay, so even as we flow in the gifts of the Spirit, we need to be mindful of this. That the gifts of the Spirit is given to us for the common good, for the building up of the body of believers. And it's also, it's a channel through which God's people are being served. So, you know, we exercise the gifts given to us to build God's people and to expand his kingdom. Okay, you know, even as we flow mightily in the gifts of the Spirit in the anointing and the gifts, sometimes we can feel that we are special people. And because we are special people, we're flowing mightily in the anointing that people should serve us. But look at what Jesus says in Matthew chapter 20 verse 28, we know that Jesus had the Spirit without measure. He just, you know, he was just flowing mightily in all the gifts of the Spirit. Jesus said, I do not come to be served, but to serve. So the more anointed and the more gifted we are, you know, it puts us in that position where we are to be more servant like, you know, to serve people and not be like lords or bosses or super spiritual people where we're sitting around where people have to serve us, but we are in a place where we have to serve people because the gifts are given for us to edify, build, encourage, strengthen and serve the body of Christ. Okay, you know, the other thing is a real you is who you are outside your gifts and your anointing. Okay, we need to know that our identity is not in, you know, how mightily we flow in the gifts, you know, the gifts of the Spirit that we manifest, how many people are healed, what kind of science miracles and wonders that, you know, God is bringing about in our lives. You know, but we need to understand that it's all done because of the anointing, the power in the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. And also, when we look at people who are exercising the gifts of the Spirit, the anointing is powerfully manifested in and through their lives. You know, we don't worship the person, we don't exalt them, we don't give them that high place of prominence or the place of God. We need to understand that it's the power of the Holy Spirit that is, you know, through working through them that is bringing about all these science miracles and wonders and through whom God is using, who God is mightily using and through whom God is mightily using to extend his kingdom and to bring many lives to be saved. So our identity should not become in our gifts and anointing. That's not, that is not right, but our identity should be who we are in Christ. You know, we need to see ourselves as who we are in Christ. You know, the real us is not when we are up there preaching or ministering. The real us is when we are facing the challenges in our lives. You know, what is our attitudes? You know, how we are retaliating to people who are gossiping, talking bad about us, who are trying to, you know, be a hindrance in our lives, whether we are able to love them, forgive them, how we are treating our spouse, our children, our parents. Our maids at home, the people who work for us. That is who we really are. And for God, that is what matters more than, you know, what we really do or how we flow mightily in the gifts and the anointing. So it's important for us to learn to walk in obedience. We need to walk humbly before God. You know, we need to keep our flesh under control. We need to guard our mind. What comes into our mind and we also need to watch over our words when we when we are able to watch over all of these areas of our life and walk in submission and humility and obedience and humbleness, guard our minds. Be careful with what we are saying. You know, we are walking aligned to the will of God, then honoring God in the way that we live. We are feeding our spiritual nature. And then we see that the anointing flows in a greater level. So our true identity is who we are in Christ. Our identity should never be based on a spiritual calling, our gifting, our anointing, the good works that we have accomplished. But our identity is who we are in Christ. As it says in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10, we are His workmanship. We are created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. So who are we? We are basically God's workmanship. We are God's handy work. We are created in Christ. We are bought by His precious blood. We are washed by His, we are saints who are washed in His blood. And hence we see ourselves in who we are in Christ and our identity is not in our gifting, our calling, or in our anointing. And also we need, when we see other people who are flowing mightily, we look at them with the identity of who they are in Christ and not just their gifting, calling, or their anointing. Okay. The next thing is desire to be genuine. Desire that genuine don't tolerate imitations. An example given here is from Exodus chapter 30 where God is giving Israelites to make the anointing oil. So He's giving the proportions of the different mixtures, the different things that they need to use to make this anointing oil. And He's saying, you know, this anointing oil is only to be used in the tabernacle over the priests, over the utensils in the tabernacle. And it should not be imitated. It means don't use the same promotion of this anointing oil to make anything for as creams or lotions or perfumes for your own flesh. There should be no imitation. The same way we see that, you know, the anointing oil that God is referring to here in the Old Testament. And He's talking about it to the Israelites to make it for as anointing oil for the tabernacle. You know, this anointing holy oil in the Old Testament was a type of the anointing of the Spirit in the New Testament. It's actually pointing out to the anointing work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. So what do we learn? We learn that the holy anointing oil should, you know, was not used for ordinary, you know, fleshly purposes. So also we need to understand that, you know, when we do things led by the Spirit, you know, we should not do things out of the flesh. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is not leading us to say a word of wisdom, knowledge or prophecy. But we are so pressurized to say something because others are saying it. And then we can do it in our own flesh and that is wrong. Okay, because here we cannot make an imitation. God is saying we can't make an imitation. We need to treat this with reference. So also the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Okay, the anointing is pure, but it's expressed through human vessels. And we are human vessels. We are not perfect. But we need to understand that, you know, sometimes the manifestation that comes or the anointing that flows out through these human vessels who are not perfect can also be contaminated with the fleshly works. And hence, you know, we need to, you know, discern prophecies. We need to go back when we receive a prophetic word, test it with scripture, with the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. Test if it is, you know, coming from the Holy Spirit is accordance with the will of God. Or sometimes it can just be made out of fleshly manifestation when the Spirit is not involved and the Spirit is not guiding that person. And also we need to test those prophecies. But we need to be very careful that, you know, when we are moving in a place where others are prophesying, sharing a word of wisdom or, you know, a word of knowledge, they're not receiving anything, just keep quiet. You know, don't say anything for the sake of saying, you know, saying something from your own intellectual, logical understanding reasoning about what you know about that person because that is a fleshly made manifestation. And that will not bring about the plans of purposes, the will of God for the person that you're revealing it to, and that is not honoring in God's sight and that is not what God is pleased with. And that is a sin as well, because God asked us not to make any imitations of something that is holy. And we can't imitate things and say it is from the Spirit. You know, when you don't receive anything, just keep quiet. Just say I've not received anything. It's okay. We are not, you know, to be always giving a word of wisdom or knowledge or prophecy. But when you receive something, just say it when it comes, when you feel sure 100%, that is what the Holy Spirit is telling you to say. Okay. We'll continue this chapter in the next class. Sorry, we moved three minutes beyond time. Anyone has any questions? So, Sean is asking a question. Anointing also means to be chosen by God for a particular purpose. When you're chosen for a specific, we learned about this, right? When we're chosen for a specific function in the body of Christ, God gives us the gifts and the grace and the anointing. Yes. He gives us the anointing to fulfill that calling or the vision or the purpose that he has called us for. So, we will look at that in this chapter. We will study that, Sean. Yes, ma'am. It's about the examination. One minute, Sean. I'm coming to that. I got forgotten. Yes. Any other questions? Anyone has any questions? Okay. Before we, do you have a next hour or are you free the next hour? First years? It should be free, ma'am. Are you sure? Yes. The thing is, ma'am completed our portions. I'm not sure. So, it should be... Okay. If it's okay, if one of you can just ask her, then I can even take the third hour. Because there are some more portions that I need to complete. Is it okay with all of you? You can go for a break and come back and then... You can go for a break and come back and then maybe... Can one of you please just check quickly and come back and then... Okay, ma'am. I'll ask, ma'am. Yeah. In the meantime, online students, do you have any questions about the assessment? You just have one more assessment, right? Any of you have any questions regarding the assessment? Online students? You can please unmute your mics and speak. It's good to hear some of your voices. Okay. I just hear from Viku who says no. What about the others? To be nice if the online students are more engaging in class. Maybe some of you can just unmute your mics, read the scripture passages. Just unmute your mics, ask questions, any doubts, anything that you feel you're not understand and still please speak. Because I basically have to respond from the online students and sometimes I'm wondering whether you are there or able to understand whether I'm going fast. Please feel free to give any feedback regarding the class. Because sometimes I'm just teaching, moving from one point to another. So if there's anything that you can give a valuable feedback and suggestion on how we can improvise the lectures, the classes, the assessments, please feel free to write. You can post on the stream page. You can unmute your mics and even talk after class and we could do that. Okay. So class can be more engaging and that would be good. So you're okay with your assessments? You just have one more to go online students? I thought it was two more. One we should have to turn in today. Yeah. And another one which is going to come the next week. So today you turn in one and one. Yes. Yes. Okay. Yeah. But I mean this today is kind of online for everyone. So I think that's when we can unmute, right? But in the normal case, we can't. Isn't it? Yeah. The normal cases. Yeah. Yeah. The normal cases. Yes, you couldn't. But then in the last two classes we had made when I was doing it in person. We had made a facility where the online students could also unmute and speak. Yeah. Yeah. Sometimes, yeah, that's easier because by the time sometimes we text, it takes time. So it's nice when we can unmute, but I thought in the normal case we don't. But today, of course, when we have the combined class, yes, we can unmute and speak here. Thanks. Yeah. Thank you, Nina. I completely forgotten about that. But yes. The two classes prior to what, you know, when I was teaching in person, we had made that facility for students to also unmute their mics and speak. Is Sean back in person students? Okay. Thank you, Sean. So is it okay for the other online students? Can I take the next hour as well? That is from 10. Sorry. From now we go for our break. So it will be from 1110 to 1150. Okay. Online students. Okay. Thank you, Jason. What about the others? Okay. Okay. So then we'll, you know, go for a break and then we'll come back at 1110 and then we'll start class. Okay. Thank you, everyone.