BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
There was a great reason why God created man after His masterpiece wisdom in creation. Because He is the “Alpha and Omega” He thought it wise to create man in His own Image.
He said in Gen.1:26-27 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth”.
He went on in Ge 1:27 ‘So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
But don’t forget, God was very comfortable before now. He thought it wise to create man who with all the abundance on earth to himself alone should have cause to praise and give Thanksgiving to the Most High.
Therefore, man was primarily created to reverence God, to praise God, to honour, to adore, to worship and to give Thanksgiving to Him alone having handed over the entire earth with all the creatures for man to control”.
The theme of Friday’s Service is “The Power of Praise and Thanksgiving” and behold it started with an opening prayer session of Thanksgiving and praises.
God cannot lie as the servant of God Prophet Sunday Obi announced to the congregation that today is set aside for praise and Thanksgiving as the Arena Echo international Choir took over as directed by the General Overseer of God’s Arena of Liberty outreach aka “Enough is Enough”.
Like his master “Jesus Christ”, Obi danced and praised God for His protection, guidance and grace in his life.
Presenting the intercessory prayers against all manner of evil, Pastor (Mrs) Sarah said Thanksgiving and praises should be a daily life style for all Christians or believers.
She said, “we must cultivate a daily habit of showing gratitude to God because He alone deserves praises and worship”.
“As Christians, the importance of Thanksgiving cannot be over emphasised. It is an obligation. Every happy Christian is a Thanksgiving Christian. God deserves our Thanksgiving and praises at all times”.
Always, she said, “it is very important to thank God for yesterday, today and tomorrow. He gave us the gift of life freely. All we have comes from Him our creator. Thanksgiving opens and connects us to God for our desired blessings and testimonies”.
This powerful intercessory prayer points were drawn from the Holy Bible in Ps.103:1-5/92:1-2/68:19 and Thes.5:8 to support her prayers.
Then came the prophetic revelation, saying that “there shall of deaths in government quarters especially in the Presidency. He described it “as arrows of death”.
Presenting the “Word’, Prophet Sunday Obi said “what Satan hates more is praise and Thanksgiving to God . Satan hates Jesus and so hates man. If you give praises to God, satan becomes afraid”.
He prayed God to “visit as many that come for the service today as they shall not go back the same. Give us our own testimonies”.
Prophet Obi further said that “praise and Thanksgiving is a way of showing gratitude to God for all He has done in our lives.
He referenced David in the Bible and how God loved him because he danced with his heart for God. Instructively, the choir and the keyboardist ignited the congregation with worship and praise songs as the Servant of God”.
“As you begin to praise Him, there is a turnaround. God desires Thanksgiving. It is in anticipation of what God wants to do for you, believing that God will do it. Thanksgiving neutralises the devil. The will of God is for you to learn how to give praises and Thanksgiving to God”.
The name of Judea is praise. Praise uproots challenges in our lives. When you make God part of you, He will do more for you. The servant of God likened palm tree to all the blessings God has for us to flourish. It is like a Cedar in Lebanon.
The servant of God prayed for the sick ones in the congregation that God should visit and heal them fast. He prayed for their forgiveness and that powers of darkness shall die in their lives Amen.
The service also witnessed the blessing of stones as a weapon of warfare against those evil fighting us from our families. The stones by the blessing and declaration of the Prophet had become a spiritual weapon sent for war.
It was really a service of praise and Thanksgiving all through as the choir had enough in their stock to give at any point in time. The keyboardist never lacked from his mastery of fingers of the keyboard. It was a great fun as the presence of God was made manifest from different angles, through healing, deliverance, and prophetic declarations.
It was awesome as the duo of Pastors showcased their expectations and created awareness on the forthcoming “Tarry Night” slated for August 20th, 2021. Their presentation was received with a loud ovation.
First timers were welcomed and received into the congregation as the service came to a close.