They said that you must be bad for you to succeed, Is that true?

In the old, parents train their children not to fight no matter what but instead report to your teacher or elders, today parents train their children to always beat hell out of anyone that looks for their trouble and they sees it as building boldness, self confidence and all that.

We were trained to only make money through godly ways, but today they train children to be greedy, seeing others as money making tools, In the old, Love was the key but today if you don't know what they are doing, they will use you to do what they are doing. They will take advantage of you from anywhere you are ignorant (even your family) and they called it smartness,

In the old the fear of God was the beginning of wisdom but today, crookedness and deception is called wisdom. In the old, we value men of integrity most but today is all about how much money the person can provide never considering the source of the money. They said that they are moving with the moving train, that you have to follow who know road.

They said that because their is no one that doesn't sin so their wickedness is justified by Grace. In this generation that wickedness is not bad as long as is done in secret ~ they have forsaken the laws of God and create their own laws believing that God will judge them according to their laws. Their heart rejoice in wickedness.

"Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their paths and highways"
"The way of peace they know not, and there is no justice or right in their goings. They have made them into crooked paths; whoever goes in them does not know peace"

Rebelling against and denying the Lord, turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving in and muttering and moaning from the heart words of falsehood

Yes, truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. And the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice~ Isaiah 59.

Brethren, [with all] my heart’s desire and goodwill for [Israel], I long and pray to God that they may be saved.

I bear them witness that they have a [certain] zeal and enthusiasm for God, but it is not enlightened and according to [correct and vital] knowledge~Rom 10:1-2

that's it bro
the world is not design for honest people to succeed
there has never been a honest successful businessman
no one is 100 percent pure

Not in every society though

Nowadays if you want to be honest people tend to take advantage of you. That is why Jesus said for those who most follow him will pass through all kinds of persecutions. It very difficult nowadays to live a good Christian life, because you will be persecuted and people will take you for granted in the name of smartest. Jesus knowing all these beforehand, said if you want to be a follower of him, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow him.

Good people do good things consistently even if they aren't rewarded and irrespective of who is looking, if you choice of doing what is good is reward-driven, that would be transactional and you can just be successful without being bad

Snitch24:
that's it bro
the world is not design for honest people to succeed
there has never been a honest successful businessman
no one is 100 percent pure

Bro. God that created the world did not design the world to be like this, is men inspired by the devil are destroying everything and is also men that needs to walk with God to put things in place, "the corrupt creation is waiting for the manifestations of the Sons of men"

Snitch24:
that's it bro
the world is not design for honest people to succeed
there has never been a honest successful businessman
no one is 100 percent pure

You are very wrong, there are successful business men that are honest in their business, men of integrity.

Ikechukwumdy:
You are very wrong, there are successful business men that are honest in their business, men of integrity.

What exactly do you mean by good or bad? Let's start from there. By the way, never judge people by their cover. Those so-called successful businessmen may have in fact had to do some things which you would consider bad but they may keep this detail hidden for reasons best known to them.

Snitch24:
that's it bro
the world is not design for honest people to succeed
there has never been a honest successful businessman
no one is 100 percent pure

This is what I'm talking about, "no one is 100 percent pure" that is where our generation capitalised to continue their wickedness, any man can fall in sin by mistake but anything you do consciously against man or God, you will answer for it. Grace of God is not permission for sin.

Kobojunkiee:
What exactly do you mean by good or bad? Let's start from there. By the way, never judge people by their cover. Those so-called successful businessmen may have in fact had to do some things which you would consider bad but they may keep this detail hidden for reasons best known to them.

There are men even bible recorded as righteous men, so if you are not there yet , keep praying and building yourself in the most holy faith. You need to know what it means to be perfect in God's context and what we define as perfection.

Ikechukwumdy:
■ There are men even bible recorded as righteous men, so if you are not there yet , keep praying and building yourself in the most holy faith.
■ You need to know what it means to be perfect in God's context and what we define as perfection.

1. No amount of praying will ever get you approved righteous in the sight of God, so I suggest you forget that rubbish prescription immediately!

2. God's standard of perfection aka holiness requires that you abandon everything in order to become worthy of Jesus Christ —your wealth, desires for worldly success, family(that includes wife, husband, children, mother, father, sister, brother, etc.,) reputation/position/office, business/jobs, etc. Is that what your thread here is all about?

Kobojunkiee:
1. No amount of praying will ever get you approved righteous in the sight of God, so I suggest you forget that rubbish prescription immediately!

2. God's standard of perfection aka holiness requires that you abandon everything in order to become worthy of Jesus Christ —your wealth, desires for worldly success, family(that includes wife, husband, children, mother, father, sister, brother, etc.,) reputation/position/office, business/jobs, etc. Is that what your thread here is all about?

With the tone you used on me, I don't suppose to respond to such but for the people you may be deceiving, this is the kind of people Jesus said that they lock up the door of the kingdom against many, they will not enter neither will they allow anyone to enter,

Firstly, You cannot do kingdom business without prayer, prayer is earthly permission for heavenly interference, you cannot live holy on your own, without prayer that is why you struggle in one sin for long,

Also know that holiness is primarily a spiritual nature not really what you do, If you don't sustain the nature of holiness, there is nothing on earth will make you holy in the eye of God, only men you can deceive,

when a man is born again, the spiritual nature of the person have been transformed, now old things have passed away only in spiritual nature and that new spiritual nature is the ability to live holy, a witch or wizard can never be holy no matter what he or she does until he get born again

Witchcraft nature cannot allow a man to be holy. Eg - when you don't eat for two days, your appetite for food at that time becomes very high, you cannot be at rest until you eat,

That is how witchcraft trigger the appetite for wickedness while the spirit of Christ triggers the appetite for good works and that appetite can push you to giving up anything to follow Jesus.

I also want to tell you that is not the will of God for you to live in sickness, barrenness, poverty. Because you give everything for the sake of Christ is the reason why you should be the richest here on earth and also wealthy in heaven, Abraham that gave his only son become the father of many nations, Job that lost everything for the sake of Christ later became one of the wealthiest, Joseph that suffered for righteousness sake later become a prime minister, what about David, Moses, Samuel even Jesus that gave his life returned with all power and authority in heavens and on earth ,

Do not allow anyone deceive you, there is a reward system in heaven, God is not sending you to sell all your properties or give to any pastor and follow him. Instead let God be the owner of those properties, authority, power , connections, money even your life, just be the caretaker.

Ikechukwumdy:

■ With the tone you used on me, I don't suppose to respond to such but for the people you may be deceiving, this is the kind of people Jesus said that they lock up the door of the kingdom against many, they will not enter neither will they allow anyone to enter,
■ Firstly, You cannot do kingdom business without prayer, prayer is earthly permission for heavenly interference, you cannot live holy on your own, without prayer that is why you struggle in one sin for long,
■ Also know that holiness is primarily a spiritual nature not really what you do, If you don't sustain the nature of holiness, there is nothing on earth will make you holy in the eye of God, only men you can deceive
■ when a man is born again, the spiritual nature of the person have been transformed, now old things have passed away only in spiritual nature and that new spiritual nature is the ability to live holy, a witch or wizard can never be holy no matter what he or she does until he get born again Witchcraft nature cannot allow a man to be holy. Eg - when you don't eat for two days, your appetite for food at that time becomes very high, you cannot be at rest until you eat, That is how witchcraft trigger the appetite for wickedness while the spirit of Christ triggers the appetite for good works and that appetite can push you to giving up anything to follow Jesus.
■ I also want to tell you that is not the will of God for you to live in sickness, barrenness, poverty. Because you give everything for the sake of Christ is the reason why you should be the richest here on earth and also wealthy in heaven, Abraham that gave his only son become the father of many nations, Job that lost everything for the sake of Christ later became one of the wealthiest, Joseph that suffered for righteousness sake later become a prime minister, what about David, Moses, Samuel even Jesus that gave his life returned with all power and authority in heavens and on earth ,
■ Do not allow anyone deceive you, there is a reward system in heaven, God is not sending you to sell all your properties or give to any pastor and follow him. Instead let God be the owner of those properties, authority, power , connections, money even your life, just be the caretaker.

1. The people Jesus Christ instead said that of are those who propagate lies using the many mentions of His name.

2. Jesus Christ never said prayer does any of what you claim. Holiness has absolutely nothing to do with prayer as it is instead about obedience. God made clear He does not answer the prayers of the Unrighteous so unless you are already righteous, prayer remains formality --- a command to be obeyed.

3. Your claim stands in direct contradiction . to the declarations of Jesus Christ who said that It is through the living of one's life in continuous submission and obedience to the teachings and commandments of Jesus Christ that one comes to a knowing of the Truth and is then eventually set free by the Truth from slavery to sin --- Holiness/Perfection - John 8 vs 31 - 36.

4. Well, it would amount to pure idiocy for one who is not first a citizen of the Kingdom of God--- born again- to aspire to becoming a law-abiding citizen of the Kingdom of God --- Holy/Perfect-- right. So holiness applies in the Kingdom of God makes sense only for those who are born-again. .

5. Abraham, David, Job, and all the others you listed were not part of the Kingdom of God to which Jesus Christ called His followers to so it makes no sense to assume that you can live like them when you are instead called to live according to the New Covenant and Law in the Kingdom of God.

6. You are not at all interested in Jesus Christ, are you - Luke 14 vs 25 - 33?

By the way, what proof was given you when you become born-again - John 3 vs 1 - 21? What cross was given you when you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ- Matthew 10 vs 37- 39?

Kobojunkie:
1. The people Jesus Christ instead said that of are those who propagate lies using the many mentions of His name.

2. Jesus Christ never said prayer does any of what you claim. Holiness has absolutely nothing to do with prayer as it is instead about obedience. God made clear He does not answer the prayers of the Unrighteous so unless you are already righteous, prayer remains formality --- a command to be obeyed.

3. Your claim stands in direct contradiction . to the declarations of Jesus Christ who said that It is through the living of one's life in continuous submission and obedience to the teachings and commandments of Jesus Christ that one comes to a knowing of the Truth and is then eventually set free by the Truth from slavery to sin --- Holiness/Perfection - John 8 vs 31 - 36.

4. Well, it would amount to pure idiocy for one who is not first a citizen of the Kingdom of God--- born again- to aspire to becoming a law-abiding citizen of the Kingdom of God --- Holy/Perfect-- right. So holiness applies in the Kingdom of God makes sense only for those who are born-again. .

5. Abraham, David, Job, and all the others you listed were not part of the Kingdom of God to which Jesus Christ called His followers to so it makes no sense to assume that you can live like them when you are instead called to live according to the New Covenant and Law in the Kingdom of God.

6. You are not at all interested in Jesus Christ, are you - Luke 14 vs 25 - 33?

By the way, what proof was given you when you become born-again - John 3 vs 1 - 21? What cross was given you when you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ- Matthew 10 vs 37- 39?

You said prayer has nothing to do with holiness:
But Jesus said:
1. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41,

Because he knows that you can't do it on your own, the spiritual energy generated by watching and praying even fasting will help you stand against temptation that produce sin.

2. "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint" Luke 18:1~ when you stop praying, you start fainting.

God does not hear the prayers of unrighteous but if unrighteous man pray for salvation, God hears, what about a born again believer that is stuck in one sin or the other? what about a believer that has the spirit of Christ but still struggling with addiction?

3. "Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" ~ Read on and you will see that one of the armor is prayer.

You are absolutely correct on your point 4.
But on point 5:
Because we are in the kingdom is the reason why we should be greater than old covenant brethren because everything have been given to us in Christ Jesus, both wealth, firm, good health, divine power are weapons for kingdom advancement
You said Abraham, David, Moses are not part of the kingdom of God, Abraham became prosperous not as unbeliever,
They are the Israelites: the beloved of God that time.

You are saying that living according to the New Covenant and Law in the Kingdom of God is to be living always in perpetual hardship, well, God never say so , though the apostles of new covenant passed through afflictions, but not in continuous hardship, do you think that they were always poor in their time?

You are trying to tell us that the new covenant (the kingdom age) bound every believer to suffer till death but that is just a lie from the pit of hell , for bible said "I Wich above all things that we prosper and be in health"

The suffering system in the kingdom is " After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10).

Christian life is experience not theology, I personally have given everything for this call, some years past , the lord commanded me to give my only business to someone and go for retreat, which I obeyed, I really suffered, I begged for food on the street of uyo for a long time,Not because I'm lazy but because of Jesus command. I survive With #100, most of the days I have nothing at all to eat, as an orphan,I was hated and rejected by my siblings, neighbors, everyone because I engaged in a battle with witchcraft cult bedeviling our nation, they sort ways to kill me, I took away territorial command(governor) from them and give them fire in the midst of this afflictions, even till now, I'm still fighting and I know what God have done in my life and what he promised me,
John saying in 1John 1:1:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

I speak what I know from the scripture and I have tasted it too.

The ways of demonic preachers is to use the truth to lead men into error, when you see the truth, you will be blinded not to notice the lies,

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Ikechukwumdy:
■ You said prayer has nothing to do with holiness: But Jesus said: 1. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41, Because he knows that you can't do it on your own, the spiritual energy generated by watching and praying even fasting will help you stand against temptation that produce sin.
"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint" Luke 18:1~ when you stop praying, you start fainting.
■ God does not hear the prayers of unrighteous but if unrighteous man pray for salvation, God hears, what about a born again believer that is stuck in one sin or the other?
■ what about a believer that has the spirit of Christ but still struggling with addiction?

1. God does not answer the prayers of the unrighteous, so even when you pray for God to Arrow temptation on your behalf, He does not answer because so long as your sin taints everything — prayer, giving, offering, praise, "good" works, etc. — God will not answer any of it. That is what He said.

2. But salvation, as offered by God, is not obtained by way of prayer but rather by way of obedience to God's commandment on the part of the sinners. So, you pray in vain when you pray for salvation.

3. The only way to overcome is through obedience to the teachings and commandments of Jesus Christ for anyone who is born-again. There is no other way; so long as one is unrighteous, obedience, as Jesus Christ made way, is the only way to obtain freedom from slavery to sin and be made worthy of God's Holy Spirit.

Ikechukwumdy:
You said prayer has nothing to do with holiness

Here is what God Himself said. As for what is written in Isaiah 64, lets first take a look at what God said in Isaiah 59 regarding the prayers of the unrighteous, to get you a better idea of what Isaiah is saying in Isaiah 64,

■ In the passage below from Isaiah 59, God explains that it is your sins that separate you from Him.

1 Look, the Lord’s power is enough to save you. He can hear you when you ask him for help.
2 It is your sins that separate you from your God. He turns away from you when he sees them.
3 That’s because your hands are covered with blood from the people you murdered. You tell lies and say evil things.
4 You can’t be trusted, even in court. You lie about each other and depend on false arguments to win your cases. You create pain and produce wickedness.
5 You hatch evil, like eggs from a poisonous snake. Anyone who eats the eggs will die. And if you break one of them open, a poisonous snake will come out. Your lies are like spider webs.
6 They cannot be used for clothes, and you cannot cover yourself with them. Your hands are always busy sinning and hurting others.
7 Your feet run toward evil. You are always ready to kill innocent people. You think of nothing but evil. Everywhere you go you cause trouble and ruin.
8 You don’t know how to live in peace. You don’t do what is right and fair. You are crooked, and anyone who lives like that will never know true peace. - Isaiah 59 vs 1 - 8

Your sins, born of your unholiness, taint everything you do and offer to God rendering them an abomination hence the reason why God hears but does not answer your pleas.
■God repeated the same in Isaiah 1

11 The Lord says, “Why do you continue giving me all these sacrifices? I have had enough of your sacrifices of rams and the fat from well-fed animals. I don’t want the blood of those bulls, sheep, and goats.
12 When you people come to meet with me, you trample everything in my yard. Who told you to do this?
13 “Don’t keep bringing me those worthless sacrifices. I hate the incense you give me. I cannot stand your festivals for the New Moon, the Sabbath, and other special meeting days. I hate the evil you do during those holy times together.
14 I hate your monthly meetings and councils. They have become like heavy weights to me, and I am tired of carrying them.
15 “When you raise your arms to pray to me, I will refuse to look at you. You will say more and more prayers, but I will refuse to listen because your hands are covered with blood. - Isaiah 1 vs 11 - 15

Again, your sins render all your offerings and sacrifices unacceptable to God because as you are unholy, so also is everything you offer up to God rendered unholy, an abomination to God. Sin makes filthy all that which you offer up to God.

■ So when in Isaiah 64, in his lament, the prophet cries out that indeed the people's offerings, including their good works, are rendered unacceptable by your sins, Isaiah said that with the knowledge God does not accept anything — including good works aka works of righteousness — offered to God by unrighteous beings.

1 If you would tear open the skies and come down to earth, then everything would change. Mountains would melt before you.
2 The mountains would burst into flames like burning bushes. The mountains would boil like water on the fire. Then your enemies would learn about you. And all nations would shake with fear when they see you.
3 But you have done awesome things that we did not expect. You came down, and mountains shook in fear before you.
4 No one has ever heard of such a God. No one has ever heard such a story. No one has ever seen any God except you, who does such great things for those who trust him.
5 You welcome people who enjoy doing good and who remember you by living the way you want them to. But we sinned against you, and you became angry with us.[a] But you always saved us!
6 We are all dirty with sin. Even our good works are not pure. They are like bloodstained rags. We are all like dead leaves. Our sins have carried us away like wind.
7 We don’t call to you for help. We aren’t excited about following you, so you have turned away from us. We are helpless before you, because we are full of sin. - Isaiah 64 vs 1 - 7

* Always read a verse in context and never let soundbites run away with you!

Ikechukwumdy:
■ "Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" ~ Read on and you will see that one of the armor is prayer.
■ But on point 5: Because we are in the kingdom is the reason why we should be greater than old covenant brethren because everything have been given to us in Christ Jesus, both wealth, firm, good health, divine power are weapons for kingdom advancement. You said Abraham, David, Moses are not part of the kingdom of God, Abraham became prosperous not as unbeliever, They are the Israelites: the beloved of God that time. You are saying that living according to the New Covenant and Law in the Kingdom of God is to be living always in perpetual hardship, well, God never say so , though the apostles of new covenant passed through afflictions, but not in continuous hardship, do you think that they were always poor in their time?
■ You are trying to tell us that the new covenant (the kingdom age) bound every believer to suffer till death but that is just a lie from the pit of hell , for bible said "I Wich above all things that we prosper and be in health" The suffering system in the kingdom is " After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10).
■ Christian life is experience not theology, I personally have given everything for this call, some years past , the lord commanded me to give my only business to someone and go for retreat, which I obeyed, I really suffered, I begged for food on the street of uyo for a long time,Not because I'm lazy but because of Jesus command. I survive With #100, most of the days I have nothing at all to eat, as an orphan,I was hated and rejected by my siblings, neighbors, everyone because I engaged in a battle with witchcraft cult bedeviling our nation, they sort ways to kill me, I took away territorial command(governor) from them and give them fire in the midst of this afflictions, even till now, I'm still fighting and I know what God have done in my life and what he promised me, John saying in 1John 1:1: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; I speak what I know from the scripture and I have tasted it too. The ways of demonic preachers is to use the truth to lead men into error, when you see the truth, you will be blinded not to notice the lies,

1. Interesting that you mention the armor of God. https://www.nairaland.com/7110397/gospel-minddump/3#122627307 I don't agree with Paul suggesting you, an individual, are capable of putting on the armor unless what he means is that you embrace the totality of Jesus Christ's teachings and commandments — abide in Jesus Christ by which case Jesus Christ then abides inside of you. Otherwise, no man can directly wear armor that is meant instead to be worn by Jesus Christ.

Now, let's assume what Paul meant by "put on the WHOLE armor of God" is that you entrust your life to continuous submission and obedience to the teachings and commandments of Jesus Christ, are you somehow of the mind that you can embrace prayer without righteousness — incomplete armor˜— and still experience the benefits of wearing the WHOLE armor?

2. I never said it is living in perpetual hardship but rather it is living without accumulating wealth treasures here on earth but rather in Heaven. It is an error to compare yourself to the apostles because Jesus Christ instead called all of His followers to obey His commandments, and not to copy the examples of the disciples.

3. Again, I never said this which you claim. And what your interpretation of that which you refer to as the suffering system in the Kingdom of God has nothing to do with declared by Jesus Christ. That same apostle, Peter, was written to have died in suffering — he was imprisoned and eventually executed, so accept that suffering is likely to present itself until the end.

4. I did ask you this earlier. What proof did you receive when you became born-again, and how has life been living with this proof even to this point in your existence - John 3 vs 1 - 21 & Matthew 10 vs 34 - 38