Handbook for New Creation

Jeremiah Oei

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
2 Corinthians 5:17

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Introduction
I sincerely believe it is not a coincidence that you are holding
this small booklet in your hand. There is a divine purpose for us
to get to know each other. Please spend some time to finish
reading this book because your life may never again be the
same, as God Himself will reveal to you His wonderful love.

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A Personal Testimony
My Encounter with the Living God

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Jeremiah Oei. I

would like to share a short testimony of my life's journey with
you. If you had met me thirty years ago, you would never have
believed me to be the same person as you see me now. That is
because my life was a great mess before God touched my life
in a supernatural way.

My father was a very successful businessman who owned

many companies. He owned a bank in Jakarta (the capital of
Indonesia), a nylon factory, a paper factory, many kilograms of
gold, valuable stocks, and properties in various countries. My
family had abundant wealth and was well-known in the country.
But we did not believe in God. Instead, we worshiped mammon
(money). Many people would have thought our lives to be
wonderful because of the great wealth we possessed. But I can
assure you that it was not so. Our lives were miserable and
happiness was a distant concept. My mother attempted to
commit suicide when I was in my teens. She swallowed a whole
bottle of sleeping pills and had to be rushed to the hospital.
Fortunately, she was saved. My sister suffered a painful
divorce, and her son died of a drug overdose. My brother was
mentally ill, and his wife left him because of his violent
tendencies. I realized, even in my tender age, that money was
not the solution to our many problems.

When I was only eight years old, my father sent me to study in

Singapore. He wanted me to learn Chinese language and
culture as the both of us are of Chinese descent. I stayed there
for twelve years until I finished my high school.

I wanted to become like my father, a successful businessman

with lots of money, because I still believed that money could
bring happiness. After returning from Singapore, I worked for

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my father in his bank, filled with the great hope that one day I
would succeed him. But sadly, my relationship with my father
turned sour as we had many bitter arguments about how to best
manage the business. We could not come to any form of
agreement. Things got so bad that we could not bear to see
each other face to face. So, I thought to myself, "Maybe I
should further my education overseas." After much negotiation,
my father finally agreed to sponsor my studies in the U.S. I
studied really hard to prove myself, and my hard work paid off. I
graduated with honors.

My father was proud of the academic results that I had attained.

Because of this, I was again hopeful, thinking my father would
allow me to lead his company in a professional way. But I could
not have been more wrong. The same problem arose; again,
we quarreled. During this time, I began to drown myself in
drinking and womanizing in order to bury my great
disappointment and frustration.

But, through it all, God was actually watching.

One day, a female manager named Anita from our company

was led by God to pray and share the Gospel to me. She was a
divorcee who had suffered physical abuse by her husband. I
remember that she used to smoke four packets of cigarettes in
a single day. But I now noticed something different about her;
she had experienced a radical transformation in her life. She
stopped smoking and her countenance was full of peace and
joy. She asked me respectfully, "Mister Oei, what are you
actually pursuing in life?" Without a trace of hesitation I replied,
"What else if it is not money?" Stunned at my reply, she did not
dare to say anything more to me as I was firm in my answer.

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Encountering Jesus

Indonesia is the biggest Muslim nation in the world, and Idul

Fitri is a public holiday. While the Muslims celebrate their New
Year, the non-Muslims normally spend the time in leisure
activities. Those who are financially capable travel overseas
while others typically visit places of interest within the country.

During Idul Fitri in 1989, I decided to go scuba diving in some

Indonesian islands, because, at that time, scuba diving was my
passion. Being with the fish underwater relieved my great stress
and took a heavy burden off my shoulders. Just before I left,
Anita gave me five cassette tapes of sermons preached by the
late Rev. Derek Prince entitled "Blessings and Curses." She
wished that I would listen to them during my time on the island.
Seeing nothing wrong with the request, I agreed.

In ways I could never have imagined, those messages struck

me deeply as I was listening. Instantly, I realized I was not
among the people who were blessed! Suddenly I understood
why my family was cursed despite the wealth and fame we
possessed: we were sinners who had not been forgiven by
God! The Blood of Jesus had not cleansed me from my sins.
The Spirit of God convicted me so deeply that I knelt before
God and humbly asked Him for His forgiveness. As I followed
the prayer led by the preacher, the Presence of the Almighty
God filled the whole room. His Presence was so tangible. But,
above all, I could feel His love enveloping my whole being. I
could not help but weep in His glorious love. God loved
mankind so much that He sent His begotten Son, Jesus, to die
on the Cross for us, so that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). I realized that this is the
greatest gift from God to mankind. He blesses us with eternal
life in heaven.

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After that life-changing encounter, my life was instantly
transformed. The sinful nature that had once dominated me was
replaced by God's nature. I learned to forgive those who had
hurt me, especially my father. The desire to drink and fornicate
was supernaturally removed from me. I was completely set free
from the bondages of sin. This is the greatest blessing of my
life. Since then, I earnestly desire that all people be blessed by
Jesus. That is why I left everything and that is why I serve Him,
because I know Jesus is the only true solution of this life.
Money and knowledge alone cannot solve our problems. Jesus
is the answer to all our problems. Everyone needs Jesus, and
for those who encounter Him, his or her life will never be the
same.

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Chapter One
The Exchanges on the Cross

Why is the Cross necessary for God to redeem us?

The greatness of our God is not just limited to the

demonstration of His power in creating everything in this
universe. His greatness is His Holiness. God, Who has the
power to do anything He wishes, cannot and will not violate His
own Law of Righteousness! When man fell into sin in the
beginning, God, as the Righteous Judge, would not have been
just if man's sins were forgiven without the payment of
redemption. For example, when someone commits murder, he
has to pay for his crime by giving his life. That is called justice.
The victim's family may choose to forgive the criminal, but the
sentence must be carried out to meet the demands of justice: a
life for a life.

When man fell into sin, man died too. This is not only physical
death, but also spiritual death. The man is cut off from God.
Nothing man does can restore the life he once had with God.
Jesus had to come into the world to pay the price of our
salvation. No other man can be the mediator between God and
man because man himself is full of sin. Jesus was not born of
the seed of man. He was born of the Spirit of God. That is why
only Jesus can fulfill the qualifications of redeemer.

The Cross is the demonstration of God's love to mankind. It is

the bridge to connect us to Him. Jesus died on the cross but
resurrected three days later. Death and Hell could not hold Him
because of His sinless nature. Jesus is the perfect man; no
man has ever lived a life like Jesus lived. He is pure and holy.
The fact that God resurrected Him from the dead clearly shows

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that the redemptive work is complete. Anyone who places his
hope in Him will not be disappointed, because one day in the
future, He will resurrect us from the dead and bring us to dwell
with Him in heaven.

The Seven Exchanges on the Cross

God so loved the world that whatever He did on the Cross, He

did them for our sake. Although Jesus demonstrated His love
towards the people, He was not appreciated. On the contrary,
He was falsely accused and crucified on the Cross. His death
brought us life.

We have briefly mentioned the reason why Jesus had to pay

the price for our sins. Now, we want to see the seven
exchanges He did for our sake.

1. The Exchange of Death for Life

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus died so that we might have eternal life. Sin

separates us from God and from eternal heaven where
God dwells. No amount of good works can earn anyone
an eternal salvation. Similarly, no amount of good works
can release a murderer from his death sentence. The
sins of one's life forever separate him from God.
Whoever dies without his sins forgiven by God will have
his soul enter hell. Hell is a place of eternal torment;
there is no way out. The Bible says this is the second
death. God desires that no one perish in hell, which is
why He sent Jesus to take our place. The rightful
punishment of our sins that is supposed to fall on us is
exchanged, and it falls on Jesus. This is the most

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 important exchange God did for us. He takes our place
by dying on the cross, and we take His position in heaven
by accepting Him as our Lord and Savior.

2. The Exchange of Curse for Blessing

Galatians 3:13-14
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a
curse for us - for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is
hanged on a tree" - so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of
Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive
the promised Spirit through faith.

No one in this world would want to bear your curses,

except for the Lord Jesus. This fact alone shows how
much God loves us. These curses include death,
sickness, and poverty. Our sins result in not only spiritual
death, but also sickness and spiritual poverty. These are
all the consequences of the curse. In contrast, the
blessing of Abraham is the blessing of abundance. This
blessing includes both spiritual and physical blessing.
When Jesus comes into our lives, His Presence satisfies
and fulfills us. His presence is so rich that earthly
blessing fades and becomes ultimately meaningless.
That is why Moses was willing to forsake the riches and
honor of Egypt and embrace the call of God. He had
tasted the goodness and the glory of God.

3. The Exchange of Sickness for Healing and Health

1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might
die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have
been healed.

Jesus suffered much physical torture on the cross.

Besides being whipped, beaten, and nailed, His head
was crowned with thorns. Finally, His side was pierced.

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 Imagine the sufferings He went through. Crucifixion was
one of the most gruesome deaths that one could ever
have endured. But He bore all the sufferings for the
healing of our soul and body. After Jesus was raised from
the dead, the disciples of Jesus performed many miracles
for the people. Many were healed from their sickness.
Divine healing is the result of the price Jesus paid on the
cross.

4. The Exchange of Rejection for Acceptance

Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their
faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

When Adam and Eve sinned against God by eating the

forbidden fruit, they were cast away from the Presence of
God. They were despised and rejected. They suddenly
realized they were naked. Feeling ashamed, they cut fig
leaves to cover themselves. The glory of God that had
once clothed them was taken away.

Jesus was naked when He was hung on the Cross. He

was rejected because of our sins. When Jesus called out,
"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God,
why have You forsaken Me?” (Mat 27:46) God did not
answer. For the first time in eternity, He was separated
from the Father, all because of the sins that He bore for
us. He was rejected so that we might be accepted into
His Presence once again. How great is His love towards
us!

5. The Exchange of Grief and Sorrow for Joy

Isaiah 53:4

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 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we
esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

Grief, sorrow, and afflictions of life are all the results of

sin. Jesus bore all of that on the Cross so that we might
experience His Peace and Joy in the midst of trials. God
understands everything we go through. His Presence will
comfort us in a very special way.

6. The Exchange of Captivity for Freedom

Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for
our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us
peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Turmoil, anxieties, and fear are the results of the absence

of the Peace of God. This peace of God is supernatural.
It is imparted to our souls when God dwells in our heart.
Every anxiety will disappear the moment His Peace
dwells in us.

7. The Exchange of Poverty for Spiritual Prosperity

2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he
was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his
poverty might become rich.

Poverty is a curse, the result of sin. The ground was

cursed when Adam sinned. Since then, mankind has had
to toil to earn a living. When the grace of God comes into
our lives, our needs and wants are fulfilled by Jesus and
by Jesus alone. We find the Living Waters fulfilling every
part of our being. The Bread of Life will not cause us to
suffer hunger anymore. Jesus became poor so that we
might inherit His abundance. The Bible said that we are

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 seated with Christ, and God has given every spiritual
blessing to us in the heavenly places. Please do not
misunderstand. This "wealth" does not mean that we will
live luxuriously on this earth; rather, this spiritual wealth is
something that the world will never be able to receive
even though they may have lots of money. Jesus
promised to take care of us, and He does.

Come to God

If your heart is moved after reading what I have just written

above—what God has done for you on the Cross—this means
the Holy Spirit is working in your heart. He is inviting you to
come to Him and receive His greatest blessing of all—the
forgiveness of your sins and the salvation of your soul.

We have to understand that one day God will judge each one of
us. The Bible says, "For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is
due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." - 2
Corinthians 5:10. There is nothing we can hide, for everything
we have done, either openly or secretly, will be judged by God.
It is a terrifying moment to stand before the Holy God. Hence,
we must get our lives right before Him.

Surprisingly, the God Who created us, the heavens, and the
earth, is just one prayer away. He is near to your heart and to
your mouth. All you need to do is call out to Him in prayer
earnestly from your heart. He has been patiently waiting for
you, for this moment. His arms are opening wide to receive and
embrace you as His blood is ready to cleanse you from all your
former sins.

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Prayer to Receive Jesus Christ
as Your Lord and Savior

Please kneel down and pray aloud the following prayer:

"Heavenly Father, what a loving and gracious God you

are! I am a sinner who has humbly come before You
today to ask for Your mercy and forgiveness. I know it is
because of Your grace that I have been chosen to
receive this blessing. For by grace I have been saved
through faith, and that not of myself; it is the gift of God.
Thank You for what You have done for me. You sent Your
only begotten Son, Jesus, to die on the Cross so that His
Blood can cleanse me of all my sins and deliver me from
the power of death. Please be enthroned on my heart as
my Lord and King as I give my life wholly to you. I
proclaim Jesus is Lord over my life! Thank you, Father
God. In the Name of Your Son, Jesus, I pray. Amen."

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Chapter Two
Growing Spiritually

1. Loving God
Our God always works through our hearts. He wants us to
follow Him from our hearts because He wants us to obey Him
from our hearts. He is a God who hates hypocrisy. Therefore,
His commandment to us can be summed up as follows:

37 ... "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind.
38 This is the great and first commandment.
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the
Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)

No one can come to God unless He touches him or her. When

we are touched, our hearts will be filled with His love. This love
of God will continue to drive us to love Him more and more.

2. Water Baptism
Our faith in Jesus has to be expressed. Water baptism is how
we express our faith in Jesus. This is a requirement for
everyone who comes to believe in His Name. Jesus Himself
was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, and so
were all the disciples and followers of Jesus.

Mark 1:9-11
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was
baptized by John in the Jordan.

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 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the
heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a
dove.
11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with
you I am well pleased."

If we read the accounts of the early church, the moment a

person came to Jesus, he was immediately baptized through
immersion in the water.

Romans 6:3-11
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ
Jesus were baptized into his death?
4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order
that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the
Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall
certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the
body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer
be enslaved to sin.
7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live
with him.
9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die
again; death no longer has dominion over him.
10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he
lives he lives to God.
11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to
God in Christ Jesus.

When we baptize in the water, we are boldly declaring before

three realms a number of things.

Before God the Almighty in Heaven

First, we declare before God in heaven that our lives

henceforth belong to Him. We die with Christ through being
immersed in the water, and we resurrect from the dead when

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we come out of the water. Our old man is buried and the
new nature of God is now living in us. We declare we are
now sons of God. We have been transferred from the
Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light, and we
have a new identity in Christ. Our names are now written in
Heaven in the Book of Life! How glorious are His love, plan,
and purpose for us!

Before Satan and the Kingdom of Darkness

Simultaneously, our baptism declares our denunciation of

Satan over our lives. Many who accept Jesus into their lives
suffer no persecution until they give their lives to be
baptized. That is because when we baptize, we officially
declare to the kingdom of darkness that they have nothing to
do with our lives. All bondages and curses on our lives from
the enemy are broken by the Blood of Jesus. This is
powerful because the spirit of darkness can no longer
access our spiritual lives. God then sends His Angel to take
charge over us (Psalm 91).

Before the World

Satan uses the world to seduce mankind to love the world

more than God. The fleeting pleasure of the world is nothing
compared to the glorious presence of God in heaven for
eternity. Sadly, many people choose the temporary
pleasures of this world rather than an eternal home in
heaven. They labor and toil for something that has no
eternal value. Everything in this world will one day pass
away. Thank God for the hope we now have in Jesus.
Before, our lives were dictated by the philosophy of the
world. Now, we can live our lives for the eternal purpose of
God.

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 When we baptize in the water, we declare that we no longer
love the world. Our love and devotion are only God. The
world is behind us, and the Cross is before us. Our purpose
in life has changed. The things in the world have lost their
attraction and are consequently meaningless.

3. Reading and Meditating

The Bible is God's Holy Word. No one can grow spiritually
without reading the Bible. God commanded Joshua to meditate
the Word of God day and night after he replaced Moses to
become the new leader of his people.

Joshua 1:8-9
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you
shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do
according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way
prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not
be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is
with you wherever you go.

The reason why God commanded Joshua to meditate the Word

of God day and night was to make sure he fully knew the
commandments and thus faithfully obey them. We can only
know God intimately through communion and His written Word.
First of all, He reveals Himself through the Bible. From the
Bible, we know His Nature and Attributes or Character. We also
know what He likes and dislikes. It is important for us to live and
do what He likes and avoid doing things that may hurt His heart.
God told Joshua that he would be prosperous and successful in
his job if he faithfully obeyed.

How do we meditate on His Word? We meditate when we read

His Word again and again and when we constantly think about
His Word, tirelessly seek to understand it, and steadfastly study
it. We may need to learn from spiritual leaders in the Church

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who are spiritually mature. In the early Church, the new
members of the Church diligently sought to learn the apostles'
doctrine.

4. Fellowshipping
Acts 2:42-47
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs
were being done through the apostles.
44 And all who believed were together and had all things in
common.
45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and
distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking
bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and
generous hearts,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord
added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

The first batch of new believers during the early Church

devoted themselves to learning the doctrine and fellowshipping
with other believers. Doctrines are teachings of God's Word,
and they are very important for our spiritual growth. Right
doctrines ensure that we will grow healthily in God and that we
are not easily swayed by the winds of false doctrines that have
no foundation in God's Word. We need those who are spiritually
mature to teach us the Word of God correctly.

When we are born again, we may realize that much of our old
belief system and lifestyle may not be according to God's Word.
Our tradition may be contrary to His commandments. Our old
friends may not help us with our spiritual growth. The Bible
warns us of bad company that will invariably corrupt our good
habits. Instead of associating with old friends who may halt our
spiritual growth, we must join a community of believers with

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whom we may grow spiritually. Consequently, attending and
becoming a part of a church community is essential.

5. The Lord's Supper

1 Corinthians 11:23-26
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that
the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is
my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you
drink it, in remembrance of me."
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you
proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Breaking bread and drinking wine, a practice we normally call

communion, is important for us to partake often. This is the
covenant God made with us through the Blood of Jesus. God
will never break this covenant with us because it is eternally
binding. That being said, while God will not break this covenant
with us, we are the ones who can willfully break it. However, as
long as we are faithful and obedient, no one can snatch us from
the Hand of God. Communion reminds us of the sacrifice God
did for us on the Cross. The purpose of Communion is to be
grateful to Him and to keep us from committing any sin that
hurts God.

6. Prayer
Prayer is the means to communicate with God. Jesus has
opened the hotline for everyone who has been washed by His
blood to access the Throne Room by prayer. It is a great
privilege and honor to come before the Living God.

As Christians, we do not need to pray to God in a certain way.

All we need to do is to come to God as we are. Honesty and

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humility are the qualities that God desires us to have when we
pray. The Bible tells us that when the people of God pray,
miracles, signs, and wonders happen. Subsequently, we must
pray every day.

Infilling of the Holy Spirit

When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, He prayed; and

as He prayed, the Holy Spirit came down from heaven as a
dove. Not long after that, Jesus began to demonstrate the
power of God in His life and ministry.

When the Lord Jesus was with His disciples, He promised His
disciples that He would send a Helper to help them. This Helper
is none other than the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's Spirit,
and He is the Third Person of the Godhead.

John 14:15-18
15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to
be with you forever,
17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because
it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with
you and will be in you.
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

We all need supernatural empowerment from God.

Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He again told His

disciples to wait at Jerusalem for the fulfillment of this promise.

Acts 1:4-8
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from
Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said,
"you heard from me;
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the
Holy Spirit not many days from now."

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 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you
at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that
the Father has fixed by his own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

The purpose of the infilling of the Holy Spirit is to empower

believers with the supernatural ability to do God's works. It is by
no means natural; it is supernatural. Our God is the God of the
supernatural.

Pentecost

On the Day of Pentecost, as the disciples were waiting and

praying in the Upper Room, the Holy Spirit was poured out. The
disciples were filled with the Spirit.

Acts 2:1-4
1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one
place.
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty
rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on
each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in
other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The Holy Spirit came to Jesus as a dove, but He came to the

disciples as a Holy Fire on the Day of Pentecost. Why was
there a difference? That is because Jesus is sinless; but for us
who are sinners, one of the purposes of the Spirit is to purify us.
Fire burns and purifies.

The Holy Spirit is still filling believers today just like in the Book
of Acts. We all can ask God to fill us with the Holy Spirit, but
how do we know if we have been filled? The evidence is

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speaking in tongues, a heavenly language. This new language
is given to us supernaturally. Remember, this is a supernatural
encounter. Jesus is the One Who fills us with the Holy Spirit.
We must seek to be filled.

Before we come to God to ask for the infilling of the Spirit, we

must first be certain and confident that the Lord will do it. This is
because Jesus promised in His Word that our Loving Father in
heaven will always give us the Holy Spirit when we ask Him.
The Word of God is True and Eternal in nature. Heaven and
earth will pass away, but the Word of God shall by no means
ever pass away.

Luke 11:11-13
11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of
a fish give him a serpent;
12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy
Spirit to those who ask him!

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Prayer to Receive the Holy Spirit

"Dear Heavenly Father, I come humbly before You as

Your child and ask You to fill me with the Holy Spirit just
like how the early disciples were filled on the Day of
Pentecost with the evidence of speaking in a new
heavenly language. I want to be your disciple to witness
the Gospel but I am weak, and I need the power of the
Spirit to make me bold to proclaim the Good News. Fill
me now, oh God! In the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ,
I pray. Amen!"

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Chapter Three
Prayer and Meditation

The Lord's Prayer

The Lord's Prayer is a prayer that Jesus taught to His disciples.
It is important that we often pray this prayer because it teaches
us to place God's affairs before our needs and wants. As
believers, God is now our heavenly Father. Our duty is to honor
His Name through the way we live so that His Name is honored.

"Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in
heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our
debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from
the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever. Amen." (Matthew 6:9-15, NKJV)

Prayers for Spiritual Growth

Next are some prayers for our spiritual growth. There are many
such prayers recorded in the New Testament. Apostle Paul
often prayed and interceded using these prayers for the benefit
of the churches. Fortunately, these prayers were recorded so
that we too might pray them for our spiritual growth.
Notice that I made some changes in the pronouns to make the
prayers personal.

Prayer from Ephesians 1:17-23 (NKJV)

God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, I pray
that You may give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation
in the knowledge of You, the eyes of my understanding

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being enlightened; that I may know what is the hope of
Your calling, what are the riches of the glory of Your
inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding
greatness of Your power toward me who believe,
according to the working of Your mighty power which You
worked in Christ when You raised Him from the dead and
seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly places, far
above all principality and power and might and dominion,
and every name that is named, not only in this age but
also in that which is to come. And You put all things under
Your feet, and gave Jesus to be head over all things to
the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills
all in all. Amen.

Prayer from Ephesians 3:14-21 (NKJV)

I bow my knees to the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ,
from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is
named, that You would grant me, according to the riches
of Your glory, to be strengthened with might through Your
Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in my heart
through faith; that I, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the
width and length and depth and height — to know the
love of Christ which passes knowledge; that I may be
filled with all the fullness of God. Now to You who are
able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I ask or
think, according to the power that works in me, to You be
glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations,
forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer from Philippians 1:9-11 (NKJV)

I pray, that my love may abound still more and more in
knowledge and all discernment, that I may approve the
things that are excellent, that I may be sincere and
without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the

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 fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the
glory and praise of God. Amen.

Prayer from Colossians 1:9-12 (NKJV)

Heavenly Father, I ask that I may continue to be filled
with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding; that I may walk worthy of the Lord, fully
pleasing You, being fruitful in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all
might, according to Your glorious power, for all patience
and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to You, the
Father who has qualified me to be a partaker of the
inheritance of the saints in the light.

Prayer from 1 Corinthians 1:4-8 (NKJV)

I thank You, Lord, for the grace which was given to me by
Christ Jesus, that I was enriched in everything by You in
all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of
Christ was confirmed in me, so that I come short in no
gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who will also confirm me to the end, that I may be
blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

When you have a Bible, you will see there is a collection of

psalms in the Old Testament. Besides being used to praise and
worship God, some psalms actually reveal the nature of God's
relationship with His people. For example, in Psalm 23, the
nature of the Lord Jesus as the Great Shepherd brings much
comfort to our everyday lives, and, as such, some Sunday
Schools actively encourage their children to memorize it. I
personally love this psalm as it contains many of God's
promises addressed to us as His sheep. Meditating and
memorizing some of the psalms will certainly help you grow
spiritually.

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Psalm 23 (NKJV)

A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
for His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil;
For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 91 is another well-known psalm among believers. It

describes the spiritual protection of God towards His people.
The promises in this psalm are all fulfilled in Jesus.

Psalm 91 (NKJV)

I who dwell in the secret place of the Most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
Surely He shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler
and from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover me with His feathers, and under His wings
I shall take refuge;
His truth shall be my shield and buckler.

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I shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow
that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in
darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at
noonday. A thousand may fall at my side, and ten
thousand at my right hand; But it shall not come near
me.Only with my eyes shall I look, and see the reward of
the wicked.
Because I have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even
the Most High, my dwelling place, no evil shall befall me,
nor shall any plague come near my dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over me, to keep me
in all my ways. In their hands they shall bear me up, lest I
dash my foot against a stone.
I shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion
and the serpent I shall trample underfoot.
“Because I have set my love upon God, therefore God
will deliver me; You will set me on high, because I have
known His name. I shall call upon God, and God will
answer me; God will be with me in trouble; God will
deliver me and honor me. With long life God will satisfy
me, and show me His salvation.”

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Chapter Four
The Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount is the most fundamental teaching of

Jesus Himself to us, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.
Personally, I believe this teaching replaces the fundamental
teachings of the Torah in the Old Testament (the first five books
of Moses). Jesus expects His followers to live up to His
teaching. He likened those who follow the teaching as wise men
who built their houses on the rock that is immovable and able to
withstand the trials of life (Mat 7:24-25). We cannot help but
notice that the sermon essentially deals with matters of the
heart and attitude. The standard of holiness required by the
Sermon on the Mount is certainly higher than what the Torah
commanded. For example, if the Torah condemns an act of sin,
the Sermon on the Mount condemns that sin in the heart and
mind although the act itself is yet to be committed. This portion
of the Scripture is purposely printed in this handbook for you
who may still be waiting to possess a Bible. It would be good if
you could memorize them.

Matthew 5:3 - 7:27 (NKJV)

The Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of

heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

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 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons
of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’
sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and
say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in
heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were
before you.

Believers Are Salt and Light

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor,
how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to
be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill
cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a
basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are
in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they
may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Christ Fulfills the Law

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.

I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to
you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will
by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever
therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments,
and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of
heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be
called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that
unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the
scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the
kingdom of heaven.

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Murder Begins in the Heart

You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not
murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the
judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his
brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.
And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger
of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in
danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there remember that your brother has something
against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go
your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come
and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while
you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you
to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you
be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no
means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

Adultery in the Heart

You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not
commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a
woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with
her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it
out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that
one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be
cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it
off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that
one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be
cast into hell.

Marriage Is Sacred and Binding

Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let

him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that
whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual

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 immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever
marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Jesus Forbids Oaths

Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You
shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the
Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by
heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His
footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot
make one hair white or black. But let your “Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and
your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the
evil one.

Go the Second Mile

You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a
tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person.
But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to
him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your
tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels
you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks
you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn
away.

Love Your Enemies

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your
enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who
hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and
persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in
heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the
good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you
love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not

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 even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your
brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not
even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be
perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Do Good to Please God

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before

men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward
from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a
charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the
hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they
may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have
their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let
your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your
charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees
in secret will Himself reward you openly.

The Model Prayer

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For
they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the
corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men.
Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you,
when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut
your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and
your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And
when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen
do. For they think that they will be heard for their many
words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows
the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this
manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.

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 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men
their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses.

Fasting to Be Seen Only by God

Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with

a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they
may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you,
they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your
head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men
to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place;
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth

and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but
lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in
and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will
be also.

The Lamp of the Body

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is

good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is
bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the
light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

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You Cannot Serve God and Riches

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one
and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Do Not Worry

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you
will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you
will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than
clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor
reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds
them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by
worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of
the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I
say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed
like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the
field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven,
will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What
shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these
things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows
that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be
added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the
day is its own trouble.

Do Not Judge

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment
you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you
use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at
the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the

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 plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother,
“Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank
is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from
your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the
speck from your brother's eye.
Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls
before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and
turn and tear you in pieces.

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks
receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it
will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his
son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a
fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know
how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will
your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who
ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do
also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow Way

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is
the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who
go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the
way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's

clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will
know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from
thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree
bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree

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 cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and
thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know
them.

I Never Knew You

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in
heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your
name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I
will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you
who practice lawlessness!’

Build on the Rock

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and

does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his
house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods
came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it
did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does

not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on
the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the
winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was
its fall.

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Scripture References:

Unless otherwise specified, all quotations are taken from the

English Standard Version (ESV).

"Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy

Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by
Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved."

Some quotations are taken from the New King James

Version (NKJV).

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version®.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
All rights reserved."

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