Righteous Invasion of Truth

Dr. Abel Damina: Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Abel Damina is mine. I want to welcome you to this broadcast: a time of learning, a time of unlearning, and a time of relearning. The essence of this broadcast is to bring to you the revelation of Jesus Christ. The mandate of God on our ministry is the revelation of Jesus, reintroducing Jesus to this generation, equipping the believer to know who you are in Christ, what you have in Christ, and what Christ can do through you.

So get ready, fasten your seatbelts today. We're going to adventure in the Scriptures. The Scriptures tell us in John 5:39, Jesus speaking to the Jews said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; but they are they which testify of me." The Bible is Christ-centered. It’s a message centered on the person of Jesus Christ.

So get ready today as we traverse through the pages of the Scriptures, unveiling Christ so we can reveal your true identity in Christ. Because once you know who you are in Christ, then you will know what you have in Christ and then you can be able to know what Christ can do through you. It gives you a life of fulfillment, a life that is purpose-driven, so you can make the impact you were designed to make in this life through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Call a friend, call a loved one, tell somebody to tell somebody to hook up right now as I take you into that service where the Spirit of our God is already moving. Happy listening.

Guest (Male): "And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, 'All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.'"

Dr. Abel Damina: This is the church and this is the work of Christ among local assemblies—to go and make disciples. It’s not an advice; it’s the work of God or the work of Christ in the local assemblies. Go and make disciples. The word *matheteuo* in the Greek implies to enroll people like scholars. It implies to make people students. It means we have responsibility towards God's Word to be students of God's Word.

*Matheteuo* is not a spiritual word. It’s basically a word that implies to learn and to follow by precept and by example. That's why the core word is the word *manthano* in the Greek. *Manthano* deals with a learning or a process of learning. Look at the book of Matthew chapter 11, verse number 28.

Guest (Female): "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Dr. Abel Damina: If you look at the context of that Scripture, which has been abused—a lot of pastors have bastardized that Scripture. They have used it for what they call the deliverance thing—"come I will give you rest"—and they say you need to be delivered from demons, from witches and wizards and all that. But the context of that statement, Jesus was talking about learning of the Father. Learning of the Father. Look at the context of it, Matthew 11:25.

Guest (Female): "At that time Jesus answered and said, 'I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father; and no man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'"

Dr. Abel Damina: Come unto me, all ye that labor, after he has said, "No one knows the Father but the Son, no one knows the Son but the Father, and he to whom the Son will reveal him." Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden; I will give you rest. Now, what are you coming to Him for? You're coming to Him for the revelation of the Father. You're coming to Him for the revelation of the Father, which means the rest He is referring to here is learning or the revelation of the Father. That is the rest. Verse 29 now.

Guest (Female): "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

Dr. Abel Damina: Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. Now, yokes are used for students and teachers. The word *zugos* in the Greek, it’s also used for animals. When you read the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 14, he says, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and what communion hath light with darkness?" Do not be unequally yoked together.

The word *heterozugos*, unequally yoked, that is to be in an unequal blend. You have the master and the slave. You also have the law. You can be yoked with the law of Moses. That's why Galatians chapter 5, verse 1 says, "Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has set you free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Entangled—that is you are learning bondage, entangled with the yoke of bondage means you are learning bondage.

Then in Acts chapter 15, verse 10, Peter spoke about the yoke also.

Guest (Female): "Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?"

Dr. Abel Damina: To put a yoke on the neck of the disciples. Nothing is wrong with the yoke, but neither we nor our fathers were able to bear, because disciples will bear a yoke. So it must be a yoke they can bear. Disciples will bear a yoke. A yoke simply means responsibility that comes by association. A yoke simply means responsibility that comes by association, responsibility that comes by commitment, loyalty, and following.

So when He said, "unequally yoked with unbelievers," it means you are following and learning from unbelievers. The law or the bondage of the law is another form of learning. It simply means you are following and learning the law of sin and death. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has set you free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Stop following and learning the law of sin and death. 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse number 1.

Guest (Female): "Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed."

Dr. Abel Damina: So the yoke refers to a relationship of obedience, accountability, instructions, and all of that. So He says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me." So it’s a yoke of a pastor, a yoke of a teacher, a yoke of a leader, for I am meek and lowly in heart. Give me again Matthew 11:28 to 29.

Guest (Female): "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

Dr. Abel Damina: Talking about learning of the Father outside ceremonies, outside systems of the law of sin and death, but by the revelation of the Scriptures. Learning of the Father strictly from Genesis to Malachi. It’s not a text for deliverance or a deliverance session. The text here is learning of the Father. And that's the yoke and that's the burden—"my burden is light." So there's a burden and a yoke to bear in discipleship. Mark the 16th chapter, the 15th verse.

Guest (Female): "And he said unto them, 'Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.'"

Dr. Abel Damina: The word Gospel is the word *euaggelion*. *Euaggelion* in the Greek used by nobles. That word *euaggelion* or *euaggelizo*, which is Gospel in the Greek, is used by nobles when a territory is claimed and someone comes to announce it to you. Someone comes to announce to you that a territory has been claimed. That is what *euaggelizo* or *euaggelion* is in the Greek.

Something has happened and the territory has been taken, and the King has won over that territory. That's why you have the word *euaggelizo*. It’s not exactly the way we call it "good news." There is good in the news, but it’s not exactly the way we call it "good news." You have the word *basar* in the Hebrew. Isaiah 52:7.

Guest (Female): "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, 'Thy God reigneth.'"

Dr. Abel Damina: The feet of him that brings glad tidings. Call it the news about war or the news about exploits of war. That's good tidings. The news about war or the news about exploits of war. So that comes into the word Gospel. Because Gospel deals with kings. Where there's Gospel, there is a king and a kingdom.

Where there is Gospel, it is connected to kings, kingdom, and territory. That's why the word "kingdom" therefore will be the instant result of the word Gospel. Kingdom will be the instant result of the word Gospel because there must be kingdom to Gospel. Give me the book of Acts chapter 1, verses 2 to 3.

Guest (Female): "Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen. To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."

Dr. Abel Damina: And speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Gospel is incomplete if the King, the kingdom, and the territory is not part of the news. That's the way it is from the etymology of that word Gospel. So what you call Gospel is kingdom news. Now, before you talk about *basar* or *euaggelizo* or *euaggelion*, there has to be a king, a kingdom, and exploits. So read for me Mark the 16th chapter, the 15th to the 20th verse.

Guest (Female): "And he said unto them, 'Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.'

So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following."

Dr. Abel Damina: They went forth and preached everywhere. Everywhere. The Lord working with them and confirming His word with signs following. So we have a responsibility to talk about the kingdom of God everywhere. So when you write Gospel, have in mind the King in the kingdom of God.

When you write Gospel, have in mind the King in the kingdom of God. And what is the territory? The territory is the world. They went everywhere. The world—it has to do with every creature, every tribe, every tongue, every nation, every gender, every age grade, every status. We have to go all over the world announcing the kingdom news of how the King has conquered the territory. Announcing the kingdom news of the exploits of the King over the territory.

Please, that's very important. So we have John the 20th chapter, the 21st to the 22nd verse.

Guest (Female): "Then said Jesus to them again, 'Peace be unto you. As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.' And when he had said this, he breathed on them and saith unto them, 'Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.'"

Dr. Abel Damina: Whosesoever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins you retain, they are retained unto them. If you read the original Greek, what the original Greek really says is that whosesoever sins you forgive by preaching. Forgive by preaching, not by confessing to a man whose blood cannot save a mosquito.

You forgive by preaching. How do we forgive sins? When we preach the Gospel. How do we retain people's sins? When we do not preach the Gospel to them. It’s as simple as that. Because the Gospel is the forgiveness of sins. The Gospel is the forgiveness of sins. Look at it Acts chapter 13, verse 38.

Guest (Female): "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins."

Dr. Abel Damina: What is preached? The forgiveness of sins. Because it is through the preaching of the forgiveness of sins that people are forgiven their sins. The Gospel preached is what brings the forgiveness of sins. So forgiveness of sins is the Gospel preached. Now pay attention to something else that John 20:21 says. He breathed unto them—is the word *emphusao* in the Greek. *Emphusao*, which encapsulates two events.

The first one it encapsulates is Genesis chapter 2, verse 7.

Guest (Female): "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul."

Dr. Abel Damina: He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. *Emphusao*. He breathed unto them, and man became a living soul. Or the *Kumash* of the Hebrew says man became another speaking spirit in the class of God. Look at Ezekiel, that's the second application of that word *emphusao*. Ezekiel 37, verse 5, 7, and 9.

Guest (Female): "Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones: 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.' So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. Then said he unto me, 'Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, "Thus saith the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."'"

Dr. Abel Damina: That's the Hebrew word *ruach*. *Ruach* means to bring air into something and cause it to live. To bring air into something and cause it to live. You will see it again, the background in Ezekiel 36:25.

Guest (Female): "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them."

Dr. Abel Damina: I will put my spirit within you. So the question is: how is God going to put His spirit within us? Are you just going to wake up one morning and say, "I slept last night, I just woke up this morning and discovered that the Spirit of God has entered me"? No. Ezekiel 11:19.

Guest (Female): "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh."

Dr. Abel Damina: I will take the stony heart and I will give them a heart of flesh. Now, hold on. How is God going to do it? He's going to do it. Ezekiel 37:1 and 2. That is how He will put His spirit within you.

Guest (Female): "The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about; and behold, there were very many in the open valley, and lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord God, thou knowest.' Again he said unto me, 'Prophesy upon these bones and say unto them, "O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord."'"

Dr. Abel Damina: Prophesy unto these bones or upon these bones. That is how He will cause His spirit to be within you—by prophesying. Prophecy means to speak the word of God or to speak the word of life to the dry bones. How will God cause His spirit to come within you? Through preaching. Through the prophesying of God's Word.

Ezekiel never made any dry bone to live. So Ezekiel was seen into the work of Christ. Which means Jesus therefore fulfills the prophecy of Ezekiel by bringing the word of life. And the words of life brought breath, the words of life brought life into the hearts of His audience because He is the Prophet prophesying. Jesus is the Prophet prophesying the word of life to His audience. How do we know that? Deuteronomy chapter 18, verse number 15.

Guest (Female): "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken."

Dr. Abel Damina: The Lord will raise up a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me. Moses was talking about the prophetic ministry of Jesus who will prophesy life or prophesy the word of life so that the spirit can come within the audience. Moses already proclaimed that in the book of Deuteronomy.

So that's exactly what Jesus fulfills in John chapter 20, verse 22 and 23 where Jesus says, "Whosoever's sins you forgive, they are forgiven; and whosoever's sins you retain, they are retained." John is basically saying to us what it means is to go back and read what it means to breathe into men, which is a Genesis fact.

Go back and find out what it means to breathe into men is a Genesis fact. And of course, we saw the corroboration to that in Ezekiel 37, verse 5 and verse 9, which implies that whatever Ezekiel is talking about is the new man or the new creation. If you're with me up to this point, can I have a very good amen?

Now, Luke chapter 24, verse 25, we see Jesus fulfilling this and bringing this to pass in Luke 24:25 to 27 where He said, "Oh fools, slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the prophets—watch this—beginning at Moses and all the prophets, beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Every time a Bible doctrine is established, it must appear in Genesis as a seed. It must. Any Bible doctrine must be traced in Genesis in germ form or as a seed. In Exodus to Malachi as a type and shadow. Then in the prophets—the prophets of the Old Testament—as a prophecy. In the Psalms of David as one of the songs of David. In the four Gospels as one of the parables of Jesus. And then in the Epistles as a doctrinal teaching.

That's how to establish Bible doctrine. Let me go over the list again. It must appear in Genesis as a seed. Then in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy as a type and a shadow. In the prophecies of the prophets of the Old Testament as a prophecy. In the Psalms of David as one of David's songs. Then in the four Gospels as one of Jesus' parables. Then in the Epistles as a doctrine or a teaching and emphasis.

So that's why Jesus cannot teach without beginning at Moses and all the prophets. In fact, in verse 44 of Luke 24, He said, "These are the words which I spoke unto you while I was yet with you, that all these things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms. In the Psalms—the law, the prophet, the Psalms concerning—concerning Him."

So I told you that Moses says that a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up of your brethren. Now pay attention here. When He talks about the things He suffered and the glory that will follow, He's talking about the prophets. Now, remember, He never called Moses a prophet. Moses was always a servant of God, or He was always a stand-alone. Moses and all the prophets.

But of course, he was a prophet in the sense Moses was God's spokesman. But the thing is, Moses refers always to the first five books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, or what we call the Torah. So Jesus expounds to them in all the Scriptures—and I've told you over and over again—that the Bible of Jesus was Genesis to Malachi.

The Bible of Jesus was Genesis to Malachi. Jesus didn't have Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Jesus didn't have Acts of the Apostles. He didn't have the Epistles. His Bible where He taught and read from was Genesis to Malachi. That's where Jesus taught from. So we can say the Epistles, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts—all these books are a commentary on the Old Testament.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, all the Epistles are a commentary on the Old Testament. So you cannot understand those books without what they are commenting about. If Matthew to Revelation are a commentary of Genesis to Malachi, you cannot understand Matthew to Revelation without Genesis to Malachi.

If you read a commentary without what they're commenting about, you are reading in a vacuum. So if they're a commentary on the Old Testament books, you will need the Old Testament to understand the Epistles. You will need the Old Testament to understand the Epistles, and you will also need the Epistles to understand the Old Testament. So you need to read both of them together.

Now, so that's the word *sunemi*. *Sunemi* in the Greek. All right? Then opened He their understanding that they might *sunemi*, which is what you found Jesus doing in Luke 24:45. So the books of Jesus again were Genesis to Malachi. Sometimes people freak out when we start to talk about Greek and Hebrew.

But how many of you know that the audience of Jesus never spoke English? Hello, do you know that? They never spoke English. How many of you know that Jesus never spoke English? Jesus never spoke English. English is young. Jesus never spoke English. How many of you know Paul never spoke English? Oh yeah, Paul the Apostle never spoke English. There was no English.

In fact, Jesus didn't even speak classical Greek. He spoke broken Greek because He was not educated. Don't stone me; He wasn't educated. He spoke Koine Greek. Koine Greek is like pigeon English. Don't forget, Jesus didn't come to the earth to be a professor; He came to die. So what is He doing with education? He's going to die anyway.

And I've told you before that Jesus wasn't handsome, right? He didn't come for beauty pageantry. He came to die. Amen. That's some unlearning there. So they never spoke English, which means they never understood English, which means they never wrote in English. But you speak English, which means your language came after the Holy Ghost has spoken.

Your language of today came after the Holy Ghost has spoken, because all Scripture, the Holy Ghost moved men. Holy men of God were moved by the Holy Ghost. So the movement of the Holy Ghost in those holy men that spoke and wrote the Scriptures—the language the Holy Ghost inspired was not English. The language the Holy Ghost inspired was Greek and Hebrew, because that was the language of communication then when the inspiration came.

So the inspiration of the Scripture came in Greek and Hebrew. Now that's fundamental. It came in Greek and Hebrew. Of course, Aramaic. All right. 2 Timothy: "All scripture is given by inspiration." So the inspiration of the scriptures came in Greek and Hebrew. Which means the original language of the Spirit of God is Hebrew and Greek.

So the Bible of Jesus when He read had only thirty-nine books. These are just basic facts. The writers of the Epistles didn't write to you. Eventually, it was for you, but they didn't write to you directly. So did they also intend their letters will replace the Old Testament books? No, they never intended that their letters would replace the Old Testament books. They wrote those letters as summaries of what they had taught those churches.

They had already taught, so when they couldn't be with them physically, they now wrote them letters to remind them what they taught them in details. So all the letters—Romans, Corinthians, 1st and 2nd—are all summaries of detailed teachings that took place in those churches. And how do we know what were the detailed teachings? Since the Epistles are summaries, we will know the details from the Old Testament, which was the textbooks from which they taught.

Those are the textbooks from where they taught, Genesis to Malachi. For example, look at Acts 17:11.

Guest (Female): "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."

Dr. Abel Damina: These were the men in Berea. They didn't search the Epistles whether those things were so. They searched the Scriptures. They searched Genesis to Malachi whether the things that they were told were so. Because the only textbook available was Genesis to Malachi. That was the only book available. So they searched Genesis to Malachi, because that's where Paul taught from. Look at Acts 17, that same chapter, verse 2 and 3.

Guest (Female): "And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ."

Dr. Abel Damina: Reasoned with them where? Out of the Scriptures. Opening and alleging. So Paul was teaching them from Genesis to Malachi that Christ will suffer and rise again from the dead, and that this Jesus whom Paul is preaching is Christ. Is Christ. So that remains the focus. So I need the Old Testament to understand what the Epistles are saying. We are looking at the church of God in service.

Now, on Sundays, when we're going to church, we say we're going for service. If you met somebody on the road and they say, "Where are you going?" you say, "I'm going for church service," right? Hello? Hello? All right. So we all came for service. Most times people just go to be entertained, actually. You went to service, you just sat down and you're just observing, and you came for service.

For some people, church is an event center. They want different entertainments: comedy, laughter, drama, special number, choreography, children ministration, traditional dance—Yoruba Sunday, Igbo Sunday, Ibibio Sunday, Hausa Sunday—variety, snacks Sunday, reggae Sunday, R&B Sunday. For some people, that's what church is.

Someone says, "I like that church." You say, "Why?" They say, "Ah, nobody stresses you there. You're just entertained." You go to church and the pastor has a gift and you're the receiver of the gift. It’s good, but that's not what church is. We'll examine the church in its scriptural original context. Because over the years, we have innovated the word "church" from the original context of what church really is in the plan of God.

So we're going to study it properly so that you have a reason why you are in church and you can defend why you are in church from the Old Testament, which is actually where all the teachings of the New Testament came from. So for us to understand church, we need to read what they read. Luke chapter 9, a popular Mountain of Transfiguration story. One of the significant experiences of Jesus.

You know, Luke arranges it differently than Matthew. Matthew has it in Matthew chapter 16 where Peter said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And then where Caesar was being worshipped, where Jesus said, "Who do you think that I, the Son of Man, am?" and they said John the Baptist, Jeremiah, Elijah, one of the prophets. And they said, "You are the Christos," when Jesus said, "But who do you say that I am?" The Son of the living God.

You are the Christ, not Caesar. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, not Caesar. So there's something there that shows an intervention of God in people's belief system. An intervention of God in people's belief system. You have that in Luke chapter 9, verse 18 and 20. But not as elaborate as Matthew. So let’s start with brother Luke. Luke chapter 9, verse 8.

Guest (Female): "And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again."

Dr. Abel Damina: All right. Now, so why did he use eight days? Because it almost refers to another week. Then he says in verse 8—give me verse 9 of Luke chapter 9. Luke 9:9.

Guest (Female): "And Herod said, 'John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things?' And he desired to see him."

Dr. Abel Damina: Now, that's typical of something that happened in Exodus 33. Then Moses had the same kind of glistering image. And that's the idea. Because if it is a *sunemi*, a *sunemi*, you must read all together. Now, of course, the conversation went on. So look at that Luke chapter 9, verse 31 because of time. You can read the whole chapter at home. Luke 9:31.

Guest (Female): "Who appeared in glory, and spoke of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem."

Dr. Abel Damina: Now, before then, he had told Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," in Matthew 16:18 and 19. And that's a statement of fact. Then this conversation began to make sense that you read about. His triumph over death in His sufferings. He said it to Peter in that Luke chapter 9, verse 31.

Guest (Female): "Who appeared in glory, and spoke of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem."

Dr. Abel Damina: I'd like you to underline the word "decease." That word "decease" is a key word in that text of Scripture. The word "decease" there in the Greek means Exodus. Now how many of you know that Exodus was not titled by Moses—the book of Exodus? It was not titled by Moses; it was titled by the Greek, the Greek Septuagint.

Just like Genesis also was not titled by Moses, and just like Deuteronomy got the title of the book from the Greek. So both Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy were not titled by Moses; they were titled by the Greek Septuagint. The word Deuteronomy means "second law," *deuteros nomos*. So imagine if you're reading this and it said, "concerning His Exodus."

Concerning His Exodus. Read again for me Luke chapter 9, verse 31, because this is the foundation for a lot of things I'm going to be teaching. Luke chapter 9, verse 31.

Guest (Female): "Who appeared in glory, and spoke of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem."

Dr. Abel Damina: Who appeared in glory and spoke of His Exodus which He should accomplish at Jerusalem. Spoke of His Exodus. Or concerning His Exodus. Now, so if you read about that—Him being the Deliverer, Him being the Christ, Him being the Messiah, Him being the Son of the living God—then you see Moses and Elijah there on the mountain, and Moses is glistering, putting on a raiment like Jesus.

Then you say, this is a new kind of Moses. So when they said He spoke concerning His Exodus, of course, you will see the use of that word again in 2nd Peter 1:15.

Guest (Female): "Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance."

Dr. Abel Damina: After my decease or after my Exodus. So now Jesus' decease here—is the decease referring to His death? The decease there will not be His death because if you pay attention very well, Luke 9, they heard God in verse 35 say, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him."

Then He used the codified language. The point is, that statement doesn't stand alone because John used it during the baptism. The heavens open, the voice came out of heaven, "This is my beloved Son," the second time. So the baptism is that John takes Jesus, just like the whole nation of Israel in the Exodus were taken to River Jordan.

John takes Jesus to Jordan. Exodus, Exodus. Remember, it is an Exodus language. And Moses takes the children of Israel to River Jordan. Jordan is where they crossed into Canaan. Canaan is Jerusalem and Israel. So he takes them there. Why did he take them there? He said he's expecting God to come and save.

He's expecting God to come and save. Now, that's the essence of John. He will point the people to God. That's the essence of the book of John, to point the people to God. That's why John at the end will say, "This is written that you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God." Because it’s a book that points people to God.

Now, he that is coming after me is before me. He is before me. So what John is saying is this guy is God. He is before me. The latchet of his shoe I'm not able to loose. In other words, he's saying we are going to experience a new Exodus. And interestingly, they are not going to go to a new land because they're already in the land that they went to.

But they're going to have the reality of what they left Egypt for. So Jesus comes, and he comes to the same place that represents the Red Sea. And He is just like the children of Israel who passed through the sea, what you can call a burial and resurrection. When the Israelites passed through the sea, it was a type of burial and resurrection. And Jesus is also put into the water, which is a type of burial and resurrection.

And when He comes out and steps into the ground, He steps into the new land. The new land is called the new creation. Now that has happened, and John saw that reality when the Holy Ghost came on Jesus and he said, "This is he which baptizes in the Holy Ghost." Because after the baptism is the new creation, and the new creation will not use water; the new creation will be a product of the Holy Ghost.

"That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is Spirit." The believer is born of what? Born of the Spirit. So John saw that reality when the Holy Ghost came upon Jesus. So it means the experiences John spoke about is a spiritual experience. How many of you remember I've told you the New Testament has zero tolerance for element? It’s a testament of the Spirit, of a spiritual experience.

So when he mentions His Exodus, His Exodus of course is His death, His burial, and His resurrection. That is His Exodus. So John baptizes Jesus at Jordan deliberately. It was intentional. Remember Jesus' name is Yeshua, Yeshua. He's called Joshua deliberately. Then the baptism is to remind them of, even though He didn't split the sea, but baptism talks of when God splits the sea for you, meaning He conquered death and disarmed the enemy on your behalf.

Jesus conquered death and disarmed the enemy on your behalf. So when we say, "baptized into death, raised into His resurrection," that's exactly what John in Jordan prefigured. That was a prefiguring of the resurrection. So Jesus does this without being symbolic about it, because this is what He was going to do in His resurrection. So when he spoke about His decease, two critical things: number one, it means just like Moses, He will go into exile.

Just like Moses, Jesus will go into exile. You have to go into exile first before you have an Exodus. So Jesus will first of all die. Then when He is dead, He comes back from the dead. Which means that the baptism of Jesus was a figure of speech. And then John said, "This is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost." And that statement didn't come to pass till Jesus rises from the dead. Acts chapter 1, verse 4 and 5; Matthew chapter 3, verse 11 to 12; Mark chapter 1, verse 8; Luke chapter 3, verse 16 to 17; John chapter 1, verse 32 to 33.

All of that reality of the baptism of the Holy Ghost didn't happen till Jesus rose from the dead. Because it is He which baptizes with the Holy Ghost. So Jesus is called Yeshua, our salvation. Jesus is God who saves. That name is deliberate because it happens on a mountain. Now again, don't forget, the essence of mountains in the Bible is spiritual realities.

That's the essence of mountains. They represent heavenly realities. So which means they show us heavenly realities by saying that He will have an Exodus. He will go into exile. And the exile experience is Egypt. Jesus will go to the place of death. Then He will come out. But He will come out alone from the dead. Moses came out with a nation, but Jesus comes out alone.

Then He will lead captivity captive when He comes out from the dead. He comes out alone; He leads captivity captive—Ephesians chapter 4, verse 8. And He will also lead men in triumphal procession. Oh yes. 1st Corinthians chapter 15, verse 3 and 4.

Guest (Female): "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

Dr. Abel Damina: *Kata tas graphas*. That is according to the Scriptures. And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to—this is the Gospel. His death, His burial, His resurrection. Now there are stories in the Old Testament that bring out the death of Jesus in their narratives. And that's part of what we're looking at. So upon the resurrection He says, "I will build my church. I will build my *Ekklesia*. I will build my church upon a rock." Glory to God.

Which means whatever He's talking about will happen in Egypt, the place of death. Whatever He calls "church" will happen in Egypt, the place of death. It will happen through Egypt; it will happen from Egypt, just like Moses. So Egypt now, Pharaoh now, just like the devil, sin, and death. Egypt, Pharaoh, just like the devil, sin, and death.

Again, I've told you when He says, "I will build my church," it’s not our own understanding of church today, which has been innovated, that has been transformed by tradition and custom. We must hear what the audience heard and we must understand what that audience understood. "Thou art the Christos, the Son of the living God. Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto you, you are Peter, you are not Simon Bar-Jonah, and upon this revelation, I will build my church."

My *Ekklesia* is built on revelation. On revelation knowledge. "I will build my *Ekklesia*." So you don't join a church; you're born into the church by the revelation of the Father. You are born into God's family by the revelation of the Father. Don't forget, the Father must be revealed. The Father reveals the Son, the Son reveals the Father.

No one knows the Father until the Son reveals Him. So you're not saved until the Father is revealed to you through the Gospel. The Gospel is how you are saved. The Gospel is how you come into the family of God. The Gospel is how God takes up residence in a man. And until a man hears the Gospel, he's not a member of God's family.

And ladies and gentlemen, we have a huge responsibility to get this Gospel to the ends of the earth. They went forth everywhere. Where did they go to? Everywhere. Everywhere. Everywhere human beings are, we will go there with the Gospel. They went everywhere preaching the Word. That's part of what God wants to do with the church this year.

And that's why in we're going to examine it properly so we understand what the church is, what our mission is in the church, and what our responsibility is to the world. We want to be yoked together with God effectively. Glory to God. Jesus died and rose; it was not a funfair. It wasn't a joking stuff. He died and rose to give life to mankind.

And this life can only be received through the preaching of the Gospel. How can they believe on whom they have not heard? How can they hear without a preacher? So then how can the preacher preach except he be sent? So then faith by hearing, hearing by the message of Christ. Glory to God.

I see nations coming to the Gospel. Wherever you will be found, wherever you will be available, whichever community you will be, you will shine the light there. Somebody say with me, "I am a shining light." Say with me, "I am a burning lamp. I shine the glorious light of the Gospel of Christ in the nations of the earth." I didn't hear a powerful amen.

Turn to your neighbor, say, "Hey neighbor, we have a huge assignment." We are reminding ourselves of our assignment so that our minds are focused. No distractions. We are focused. We have an assignment. This is our assignment: to cover the earth with the Gospel. We preach it in and out of season. And we preach the Gospel on every available voice: every platform, television, radio, social media, door to door, house to house, conferences, schools of ministry, crusades, one-to-one. Every available platform: podcast, radio interview, TV interview, magazines, books, newspapers.

Every platform, we preach the Gospel. I didn't hear a good amen. We're in this together. When I'm there speaking, you are there praying—utterance, boldness, utterance, boldness; the minds of men be open, be open, be open. You're praying, I am speaking. We're partners in this. We're partners. When I'm traveling, you're praying. You're supplying firepower.

When people are getting saved and their lives are transformed, you are partakers of the reward. It’s not everything you have to be there. You can be there without being there. Your prayer travels; there's no distance in the Spirit. Your monies also travel. A lot of you partner, you make your monies available, you support through your givings—we do all the things we do all over the world.

How do you think God will not reward you? God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love. When we appear at the judgment seat of Christ, you'll be rewarded for things you will go like, "Ah, Lord, when? Lord, when?" He'll say, "Oh, when you prayed. Oh, when you gave. Oh, when you made your house available. Oh, when you did this." God will say, "I am not unrighteous to forget your labor of love."

Amen. I remember one song we used to sing back in the day: "Thank you for giving to the Lord, I am the life that was changed." You gave, and the Word went forth, and somebody's life is changed. You gave; the Word went forth. You prayed; the Word went forth. You were there to help people find direction. You took the message, shared it on your page, and somebody got it there.

That little effort will be rewarded. Oh yeah. Somebody started arguing, you didn't let him go free. You chased him, you stayed with him, you followed him. When he stopped talking, you followed him to his DM. You said, "I'm still waiting for you. Since you don't want it on the page, call me, see my number, let’s discuss this matter."

You followed him till he said, "Why did I comment? Why, why?" You say, "I'm waiting for you, I'm waiting for you." Finally he answered; you engaged him. You taught him, you prayed for him. Now he's your disciple. How can God forget that labor? We don't stop. We stay with it. Because the death of Christ cannot be wasted.

What He died for must be fulfilled. I didn't hear a powerful amen. And some of you, because of your obedience, nations are opening up. Continents are opening up. Men and women are coming to the knowledge of the truth. I didn't hear a powerful amen.

Father, I pray for every man, every woman, every boy, every girl, every child: the revelation of this Word grows big in our hearts. Thank you for the privilege to get this Gospel to the ends of the earth. And we rejoice, Lord, that Your Word is finding expression in our hearts. Thank you for the privilege to advance Your cause. In Jesus' name we pray. And every believer says a powerful amen. Can I hear that amen louder? Oh my goodness, the Word of God is life. The Bible tells us the entrance of God's Word giveth light, and it giveth understanding to the simple.

As you keep listening, the light of God's Word rises out of the rightly divided word of truth, illuminates your mind, illuminates your heart, and brings you face to face with your realities in Christ Jesus. In Ephesians chapter 3, verse 3, Brother Paul, speaking about the mystery the Old Testament, he says, "Whereby, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ." So there is a knowledge in the mystery of Christ.

The word mystery is the word *musterion* in the Greek. It means that which is concealed. And then he says how that by revelation—the word revelation is the word *apokalupsis*, it means that which is revealed. So the revelation of the Scriptures unveils the mysteries. Revelation is the New Testament; mystery is the Old Testament. But it will take reading and learning to come to a place of full understanding, precise and accurate knowledge.

Brother Daniel would say, "I understood by books." So there's a place of books in equipping you soundly with the message of Christ. Brother Paul would write to Timothy, he says to Timothy, "Till I come, give attendance to reading." Jesus speaking to those Jews said, "You do err because you know not the Scriptures nor the power of God." Oftentimes Jesus would say to the Jews, "Have you not read?" is the word *anaginosko* in the Greek, it means "Are you reading and not paying attention?"

I want to quickly recommend for you a plethora of books I have written. They are written with an intent to bring you doctrinal clarity, answer your questions doctrinally, and bring you to a place of accurate understanding, a precise knowledge of Christ and you in Christ. I want you to order for those books today. The number and the list of books available will be read to you right now. And if you call today, we'll be glad to make sure you get a copy or more copies of the books so you can enrich your spiritual life and enrich your walk with God and build a quality relationship with Jesus Christ, where you're also able to teach others the same truths you have learned to liberate them and bring them to the fullness of God. Glory to God.

Dr. Abel Damina has authored several insightful books that bring clarity to foundational truths of Christianity, including: *Understanding the Spirit, Soul and Body*, *Winning the War*, *Money with a Mission*, *Understanding Relationships, Marriage and Family Life*, *Prayer That Works*, *Higher Life*, *Redeemed to Reign in Life*, and *The Priesthood of Jesus*.

To order, call 240-367-6201 or email pciusregion@gmail.com. We trust you've been blessed by today's message. For prayers, counseling, or to obtain the complete teachings and books, call 404-789-7207 or 404-670-2084 or 404-453-5562 or 240-367-6201. We look forward to having you with us again tomorrow. Remain in His grace and be blessed.