The Holy Bible

Rev. James Adekoya of the Assemblies of God Church, has urged Nigerians to seek God’s attention through praise, worship and humility to manifest His presences in the affairs of nation.

Adekoya made this known while delivering the homily at the National Worship Centre held on Sunday in Abuja, tagged: “Compassionate Sunday” designed to positively affect the lives of the needy.
“Since praise manifests God’s presence, we have to realise that praise repels the presence of every rebelling situation in Nigeria.
“A nation that is filled with sincere worship and praise to God in humble and contrite hearts is disgusting to the devil.
“The enemy of this nation fears the power in the name of Jesus, and will flee from the Lord’s habitation in praise,” he said.
The cleric said that it was time for Nigerians to stop seeking the attention of security agencies for the happenings across the country rather they should seek the attention of God to bring an end to every situation affecting the peace of the nation.
“When we have the presence of God, our battle as a nation becomes God’s battle. As Christians in Nigeria, we can attract God’s presence and dwell in its safety,” he said.
The cleric said that Paul and Silas knew the secret of how to lift their hearts above their troubles and entered into God’s presence and power.
“This Bible story reveals the unjust arrest of Paul and Silas. Because they had cast a spirit of divination out of a girl, the local Philippians authorities beat them and then threw them into a jail cell.
“Besides the trauma of the severe beating, they were fastened in stocks which clamped their arms and legs in an immobile position, causing cramps and loss of circulation. The atmosphere there was depressing.
“According to the standards of that day, a prison was more like the resemblance of a dungeon. A dark, damp, stench-ridden place, with no facility for waste or comforts of any kind,” he said.
He said that in spite of the throbbing pain in their bodies and the disheartening atmosphere, at midnight Paul and Silas were heard praying and singing praises to God.
Adekoya said that suddenly, there was an earthquake that shook the prison the doors flung open, and amazingly, the bonds of Paul, Silas, and every other prisoner were released.
He said that the reason for such mighty discharged of power was that their praise elevated them into God’s presence and power.
He, therefore, called on Christians to emulate the story of Paul and Silas to lift their hearts above every trouble the nation was being faced with and enter into God’s presence and power.
The cleric said that through praise and worship their hearts would be raised into the joyous presence and peace of God, would provide God a channel for His power to operate in the affairs of the nation.
He said that humility attracts God’s attention and described it as one of the most important of Christian virtues that must be present in every Christian believer.
“But it is something that is not easy to come by as we all struggle with our ego and pride.
“As we allow our pride to gradually give way, our humility attracts God’s attention and we need to ask God on a daily basis to keep us humble.
“Humility is a virtue which I think is often misunderstood. It’s often confused with weakness.
“A humble person is the person who acts like a doormat and allows other people trample to all over him because meekness is confused with weakness,’’ he explained.
He said that the church set the day as “Compassionate Sunday” to address some societal ills with prayer and praise.
He said that the compassionate Sunday event was also designed to positively affecting the lives of the needy.
The cleric said that having compassion for the needy was part of Christ’s character and therefore a quality of the Church.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was distribution of food items to those in need to celebrate the Compassionate Sunday.(NAN)
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Edited by Grace Yussuf