2014: A YEAR OF CROSSING THE BRIDGE
All roads, in the last two weeks, have led to The SCOAN in Lagos, Nigeria. The Arena of Liberty, as it is fondly referred to, has been a beehive of activities with worshippers pouring in from all walks of life and all corners of the world for one major purpose – to humble themselves before God and seek His face as they bid farewell to 2013 and step into 2014. This made the last Sunday service a memorable one to behold. Among the visitors who graced the service were Malawi’s President, Dr Joyce Banda and her husband, retired Chief Justice Richard Banda. A delegation from the nation of South Sudan was also in attendance from the country’s president, General Salva Kiir Mayardit. They came in appreciation of Prophet T.B. Joshua’s prophetic message a few months ago concerning the crisis that recently engulfed the new nation, requesting prayers for Divine intervention.
The service was also lit up with stars from many sectors of society. Kimmy Skota, a professional opera singer from South Africa who got delivered at the recent Anointing Water Revival held at the New Bingley Hall in Brimingham, UK, came to share her testimony. The singer, who has in her life time performed before high profile audiences across the globe, did more than just testify – she performed alongside The SCOAN choir, to the glory of God and amazement of the congregation. Also on call, to the surprise of Emmanuel TV viewers worldwide and football followers in particular, was Nigeria’s national football team midfielder Ogenyi Onazi. The player, who plies his professional trade at Lazio in Italy, was an amazement to watch as he masterfully manned the church’s keyboard. Onazi is a product of The SCOAN’s youth football team, My People FC and used to play the instrument for the church choir before he ventured on his illustrious football career.
Again, God’s power manifested in abundance through healings, deliverances and prophecies as Prophet T.B. Joshua moved among the congregation ministering prayer by the power of the Holy Spirit. He spoke about the coming year, describing it as a bridge; a delicate, sensitive year. The man of God said, “It is a bridge that connects one to another. If the year is a bridge, what exactly will you expect? It means you have to live modestly. Cut your coat according to your size. It is not a time to walk arrogantly or a time to be proud. A time to cross a bridge is a time to be very careful.”
He continued, “Destiny will work beautifully next year. Destiny – exactly what God has destined for you. If you are very careful, you will cross the bridge successfully. Please, you have to return back to your destiny. What is the meaning of destiny? It is the way of the Lord. This year, you have to return to the way of the Lord!”
Wise Man Daniel preached on the message: ALLOW GOD TO DECIDE which hinged on man’s vulnerability to making wrong decisions when faced with challenges. Picking as proof text Acts 16:18-25, which talks of Paul and Silas’ incarceration, he said it is obvious that before God Almighty came to their rescue in the prison, the two were confined to the harsh realities of life – ‘a very tensed and difficult situation that offered them the opportunity to grumble, to murmur and rebel against their God.’
“But as genuine Christians, instead of seeing their God in bad light, they chose to praise and worship Him. It is in a tensed and difficult situation like this we know the difference between real Christians and professing Christians. As a Christian, if you were to find yourself in the same situation Paul and Silas found themselves, what decision would you have made? Remember, at that point when everything seemed to suggest that, there was no hope and no future, if they were not members of the household of faith, they would have given in to fear and then begin to rebel against their God,” he said, adding however, “they never did that because they knew that the devil wants us – children of God – to curse God while under pains, difficulties or harsh realities of life.”
He said instead of murmuring and grumbling, Christians should let God decide for them. “As a Christian, what becomes of you today depends on how much you involve God in your matter (Psalm 37:5-6). What you will be tomorrow depends on the choices you make today. Remember, blessed is the man who makes Christ Jesus his source; for he will see the reason for his believing, even in hard times,” he stated
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.