The Science Of Faith by Apostle Emmanuel Iren: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

The Standard Behind the Pulpit

2 Timothy 2:15 sets the job description for every preacher: be diligent to present yourself approved to God. Just because someone holds a title, has an audience, or owns a microphone does not mean they are approved. God vets every sermon on faithfulness.

The Greek word for rightly divided is orthotomeo — a compound of orthos (straight) and tomio (to cut). Think of a child in art class cutting out a triangle. Cut too far right or left and the shape is ruined. Cutting straight means following the train of thought of the original biblical writers so that you arrive at the conclusion they intended. Many preachers string scriptures together and arrive at destinations that would surprise the authors.

2 Corinthians 2:17 admits plainly that many peddle the word of God. Peddling is mixing for profit — diluting quality to maximize gain. A lot of it happens because the average believer is not biblically literate enough to detect it. Wisdom is the ability to recognize difference. That discernment is what grows as you mature in Christ.

Preaching In Christ — The Standard of Up-to-Date Teaching

Paul's standard is that we speak in the sight of God and in Christ. To preach in the sight of God means preaching with full accountability — as men who will give an account for what they say. To preach in Christ means preaching with consciousness of the provisions of redemption.

There are scriptures that were true in their season but are now obsolete in light of the cross. In Daniel, the prince of Persia hindered the angel carrying the answer to prayer. Someone could build an entire sermon on why your prayers are not being answered from that text. But in Luke 10, Jesus said he saw Satan fall like lightning. In Colossians 2:15, having disarmed principalities and powers, he made an open show of them. There is no spiritual entity legally capable of hindering your prayer. They dare not.

In Christ, there is no strong man in your family ruling over you — you are the strong man in your family. Whoever believes in Jesus and grows in Christ-consciousness becomes the stronger man. Every warlock, every witch has lost their legal place.

Three Marks of New Testament Faith Teaching

1. Rooted in the Gospel

   New Testament faith teaching is always tied to the fact and the preaching of the gospel. Any church that speaks extensively about miracles and breakthroughs but does not take time to meticulously break down the word of God and the gospel of redemption in Christ has stepped out of Christ. That is how people can sit in a church for 20 years and not know the gospel.

   When Paul went to Ephesus — a city dominated by the principality Diana — he did not launch a series on territorial spirits or what to do with salt at certain hours of the day. Acts 19:9-10 records that he reasoned daily in the school of Tyrannus for two years. He bombarded the region with the teaching of God's word until all who dwelt in Asia heard it. God then worked unusual miracles by Paul's hands — handkerchiefs from his body brought healing. The sons of Sceva failed using Jesus's name like a formula. The name of Jesus was magnified. Many burned their books of magic. The total value was 50,000 pieces of silver. Jesus was betrayed for 30. The word destroyed more than what betrayed Christ.

   So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. The way to take over territory is not with brooms on the floor. It is by the force of the gospel. What the devil hates most is people being informed of what Christ has done — that Jesus nailed all accusations to the cross, that he made an open show of principalities. The number one deliverance is salvation itself. Put the gospel first.

2. Establishes the Power of the New Creation

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   Apostle Emmanuel Iren

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   In the whole Old Testament, there were fewer than 500 people in 4,000 years who had the Holy Spirit. It was rare — one person per generation, perhaps. Then Joel prophesied: Joel 2:28 — it shall come to pass in those days that God would pour out his Spirit on all flesh. Sons and daughters. Old and young. Even servants and handmaidens. No degree required.

   In Mark 16:17, Jesus said, These signs shall follow them that believe. He was speaking about everyone who believes — not the clergy, not apostles alone. They shall expel demons, speak in new tongues, lay hands on the sick. The signs follow believers.

   Something about the revelation of Christ leads to a revelation of yourself in him. When Peter said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus replied, And I say to you, you are Peter. A time will come in the consciousness of who you are in Christ where you stop waiting for your pastor to come to your house to speak to the mountain of sickness. In the New Testament, the word works both in the man of God and in the congregation.

   • A woman in the church prayed for someone suffering severe mental breakdown and depression. No title. No ordination. She said, You foul devil, come out. The demon spoke and left. That was the last time — four years ago and counting.
   • A man came from the North to the church to be prayed for. Before he could be seen by the pastor, a church member walked up and said, The Lord said I should tell you he knows you're here and why you came.
   • A little girl, not more than eight years old, asked a visitor if she could pray for his stomach ache. She laid her hand on him with full confidence and said, Be healed. It was gone immediately.

   These days are here. Grow up and walk in what you carry.

3. The Power in the Word Itself

   In Acts 20:32, Paul was about to leave a region. He did not say, Call me and I will pray for you. He said, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance amongst the sanctified. Stop waiting for a man of God. Build your own future with the word of God. The men of God you follow — this is how they built themselves.

   Start learning what God has said about your health. About your finances. About your future. Build your consciousness deliberately.

   Matthew 6:25-34 — the school of faith:

   • Do not worry about your life — what you eat, drink, wear, or where you live.
   • Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow, reap, or gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they?
   • Your heavenly Father already knows you have need of these things. Worrying about them is acting like an unbeliever — it is treating your Father as though he is unaware or unreliable.

   Settle it as your confession: I will never lack food to eat. I will never lack clothes to wear. I will never lack a place to rest. Apply this to every area. For those trusting for a partner: Isaiah 34:14-16 — none shall lack her mate. God's framework for provision extends to every dimension of life. Ask once and shift your posture to one of expectation, not repetition.

   The Bible says the just shall live by faith — not visit. Many Christians are fire-brigade Christians. They only try to draw from a reservoir when crisis hits and then conclude it did not work. Build the reservoir now while you are young.

The Word Must Dwell in You Richly

In the day of adversity, if your strength fails, it is because your strength was small to begin with. When a dream confronts you in the night, you cannot quickly open a Bible. It is the word of God stored in your spirit that will come to the fore. That is why the word must dwell in you richly.

Know who you are. Know what God has done. Know what is yours. Build your confession ahead of time — not in crisis. Start confessing what the word says about your children, your health, your direction, and your future.