Evangelism Director Pays Courtesy Call On Volta Regional Minister

Evangelism Director Pays Courtesy Call On Volta Regional Minister

The Evangelism Ministry Director of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr. Amos Jimmy Markin, last Wednesday, paid a courtesy call on the Volta Regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, at his residence in Ho.

The Evangelism Ministry Director was accompanied by the Ho Area Head and Executive Council Member of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr. Dela Quampah.

During the interactions, Apostle Dr. Dela Quampah formally informed the Regional Minister about the ongoing “Ho for Christ” Crusade being organised by the Ho Area of The Church of Pentecost in collaboration with the Evangelism Ministry. He also shared with him some of the preliminary evangelistic activities undertaken by the Evangelism Ministry Advance Team ahead of the crusade and their impact on the region.

The Area Head briefed the Regional Minister on the various sessions of the four-day evangelistic activities, adding that: “we are sharing the gospel leading to the emancipation of the souls of men from the bondage of sin and its effect to the saving power of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

He said that the crusade would be climaxed on Saturday with a medical outreach. This, according to him, would be handled by a team of medical professionals within and outside the region to screen and treat residents of all kinds of ailments. 

Hon. Letsa, in his response, commended the Church for the impressive projects undertaken in the region and the nation and encouraged the Church to continue in pursuit. 

The Regional Minister also revealed that he had received an invitation from the Church to attend the upcoming National Politicians’ Conference, saying: “I actually consider myself an honorary member of The Pentecost Men’s Ministry (PEMEM),” he said.

The Regional Minister also praised the Church for tireless efforts at reaching out to lost souls through all means possible so as to lead them to the saving knowledge of Christ. 

Apostle Dr. Amos Jimmy Markin, on his part, congratulated the Regional Minister and his team for successfully hosting this year’s Independence celebration to the admiration of all.

The Evangelism Ministry Director assured the Regional Minister to expect unimaginable breakthroughs in the region.

“Wherever we have such a crusade, it results in a tremendous transformation of harden systems and ground-breaking seasons,” he said.

At the end of the visit, the church delegation offered prayers for Hon. Letsa and also prayed for an outpouring of God’s blessings on the entire region.

 Report by Pastor Felix Brakatu

The Church Of Pentecost Donates To War Victims In South Sudan WEB

The Church Of Pentecost Donates To War Victims In South Sudan

The Ho Area Women’s Ministry of The Church of Pentecost has donated clothes to victims of the civil war in South Sudan through the United Nations Interim Security Force in Abyei Ghana Battalion 2 (UNISFA GHANBATT 2) at Ho.

The donation took place on March 8, 2023, at the forecourt of the Regimental Headquarters of the 66 Artillery Regiment.

The women’s delegation was led by the wife of the Area Head and the National Women’s Ministry Executive Member of the Church, Mrs. Comfort Quampah, and the Area Women’s Ministry Leader, Deaconess Fidelia Ametefe.

Presenting the items, Mrs. Comfort Quampah said, the Church is privy to the plight of women and children in South Sudan due to the country’s political instability and there saw the need to provide them with some material support in addition to the continued prayers the Church is offering for them.

Deacon Fidelia Ametefe further stated that the gesture, which is in line with the Church’s 2023 theme: “Repositioning the Local Church for Maximum Impact in the Nations,” was made possible due to the generosity of the women.

“The women of the Church contributed towards the donation by our own volition,” she said.

Deaconess Ametefe also noted that the clothes were all brand-new and for all sexes and ages.

Receiving the items on behalf of the Ghana Armed Forces contingent detailed for Southern Sudan, Rev. Lt. Solomon Aidoo, the Army Chaplain, expressed his profound gratitude to the Lord and The Church of Pentecost for their kind gesture and fervent prayer for war-torn countries.

The Second-in-Command of the Regiment, Major Felix Opoku, called on other churches, NGOs and organisations to emulate the charitable gesture of The Church of Pentecost. He was also grateful to the Women’s Ministry, in particular, for their concern for the people of South Sudan.

The RSM, SWO1 Awusavi, on his part, solicited the prayer support of the Church for the soldiers who have been assigned for peace-keeping in the East African country.

“Pray for the Lord’s protection for us and the smooth execution of our duty of maintaining order and resolving conflict-related issues in the country,” he said.

Present at the presentation ceremony were some members of the Women’s Ministry from the Ho Zone and some military personnel from Ho Barracks.

Report by Pastor Felix Brakatu

Old Tafo Area Women’s Ministry Organises Quiz Competition For Virtuous Ladies WEB

Old Tafo Area Women’s Ministry Organises Quiz Competition For Virtuous Ladies

The Women’s Ministry of the Old Tafo Area of The Church of Pentecost has organised its maiden edition of quiz competition for Virtuous Ladies aimed at equipping them with the word of God and general knowledge of the Church.

The quiz, which took place at the Old Tafo Central Assembly auditorium recently, covered the current affairs of the Church and the Book of Esther.

The contestants from the thirteen districts within the Area battled it out and at the end of the competition, the Old Tafo District, which was represented by Deaconess Lydia Oppong Siaw, emerged winner with 34 points, while Atimatim and Ankaase Districts placed second and third respectively to the glory of God. 

For their prizes, Deaconess Lydia Oppong Siaw, received Women’s Ministry cloth, Virtuous Ladies attire and a wall clock, while each participant was given a consolation prize.

Speaking to PENTECOST NEWS on the rationale behind the quiz competition, the Area Women’s Ministry Leader, Deconess Mavis Addai, disclosed that it was part of the repositioning agenda for the ladies for maximum impact. 

She noted that the ladies, as potential leaders of the Church, need to be equipped with the word of God and the general knowledge of The Church of Pentecost to help understand their calling.

She was impressed with the organisation of the event and applauded the effort of the coordinating team towards the program.

On her part, the winner of the competition, Deaconess Lydia Oppong Siaw, encouraged the young ones to consistently read their Bibles and partake in church activities to have an in-depth knowledge of the word of God and the Church in order to be established in the faith.

Report by Dennis Owusu & Emmanuel Nana Nsiah

GATHER THE WASTE WEB

Gather The Waste! – Pastor Agbeko Charges

The Kwashieman Official Town District Minister, Pastor Emmanuel Dzemekey Agbeko, has charged members of the Church and Ghanaians, in general, to ensure that all wastes they generate are properly managed.

He made this statement at a Stakeholders’ Meeting organised as part of the 2023 Environmental Care Campaign on Sunday, March 12, 2023 at Kwashieman Official Town Assembly (KOTA).

He mentioned that, through the act of obedience by the disciples, the 12 baskets of leftover food were not made to go waste; neither were they left to rot and pollute the environment.

By gathering the leftovers, the disciples had the opportunity to preserve or re-use the pieces for other beneficial purposes.

Pastor Agbeko applied the lessons from these passages to the way the environment is being managed.

He said that God dwells among them and He does not like waste so we must not be surrounded with it – whether food leftovers, plastics or any other form of garbage. Out of the leftover substances around us, we can find opportunities to create new things to solve some problems of society and also earn income.

He advised participants to ensure that their homes are always clean and extend this habit of cleanliness everywhere they are.

The Presiding Member for the Ablekuma North Municipal Assembly, Hon. Edmund Nii Lomo, in a brief remark at the event, pledged the full support of the Municipal Assembly towards the success of the Environmental Care Campaign.

The traditional leaders also promised to inform the entire community to turn up in their numbers to join the cleanup exercise.

Present at the meeting were the Presiding Member of Ablekuma North Municipal Assembly, Hon. Edmund Nii Lomo, the Queen Mother of Kwashieman, Naa Larteley Ayewuhu, and her elders and some other opinion leaders in the community.

Report by Elder Emmanuel Adofo Marih

PENSA-Kaneshie Sector Organises “Sector Day Out” web

PENSA-Kaneshie Sector Organises “Sector Day Out”

The Kaneshie Sector of the Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA-Kaneshie Sector) on Monday, March 6, 2023, organised inter-tertiary outdoor games, dubbed “Sector Day Out” at the Asamoah Gyan Sports Complex at the Accra Academy Senior High School.

The participating PENSA institutions were Pentecost University, Korle – Bu, Accra Technical University, Accra City Campus, Ghana Institute of Journalism, KAAF University and GH Media, which joined for the first time.

The sporting disciplines included soccer (football), volleyball, table tennis, Ludu, Oware, heat race and dame. A dancing competition was also held as part of the activities.

At the end of the football competition, KAAF University emerged as the winner, Pentecost University placed second whilst Accra City Campus and Accra Technical University both placed third.

Accra City Campus also emerged winners of the volleyball competition with Accra Technical University and Pentecost University placing second and third, respectively.

Accra City Campus again placed first in the male category of athletics, followed by Pentecost University in second position and KAAF University in third.

Pentecost University, however, took home the top prize for the female category of athletics and was closely followed by the Accra Technical University and KAAF University in that order.

For the second time running, the female football team of KAAF University emerged victorious in the soccer competition.

The competitions ended with Accra City Campus receiving the award for “Overall Best Institution” at the games.

The award for second prize went to Pentecost University, whilst Accra Technical University came in third.

All participating institutions were presented a certificate of participation for their active involvement in the games.

The participants also took the advantage to evangelise to spectators who had thronged the event venue in their numbers to witness the games.

Speaking to PENTECOST NEWS, the PENSA-Kaneshie Sector Traveling Secretary, Pastor Frank Mensah Tandoh, said that the “Sector Day Out” event, the second of its kind to be organised, seeks to develop the youth holistically and also create an avenue for socialisation and evangelism.

“The mandate of the Youth Ministry is to ensure the holistic development of the youth. This is the reason behind the organisation of the ‘PENSA Sector Day Out’ to ensure both the physical, social and spiritual development of the youth within the Sector,” he said.

He added: “In line with the Church’s theme of “Repositioning the Local Church for Maximum Impact in the Nations,” the socialisation aspect of the event is to foster comradery among the students so that they would see themselves as one big family.”

Pastor Tandoh also noted that the participants were all students drawn from the various PENSA institutions to represent their respective tertiary schools.

Report by Mavis Pewudie (PENSA- Kaneshie Sector)

Websize-20

The Church Of Pentecost Receives National Award

The Church of Pentecost was today presented a national award by the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for the instrumental role played by the Church in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The award was received on behalf of the Church by the General Secretary, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, at a ceremony held at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC). Apostle Kumi-Larbi was accompanied to the event by Apostle Samuel O. Asante (Kaneshie Area Head and Executive Council Member) and Apostle Lawrence Otu-Nyarko (Finance and Administration Director).

The National Honours and Awards 2023 was organised by the State to honour distinguished individuals and deserving institutions for their roles in the fight against the dreadful COVID-19 pandemic.

It will be recalled that The Church of Pentecost, at the height of the pandemic, donated vans to the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to help educate the citizenry on the COVID-19 virus as part of efforts to contain its spread.

The Church also donated numerous medical supplies, logistics and other personal protective equipment (PPEs) to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and various health centres nationwide to augment the Government’s efforts towards ending the spread of the deadly virus.

Perhaps, the most significant contribution of the Church to the COVID-19 fight was the release of the multipurpose convention centre to the State as an isolation and treatment centre for persons infected with the virus and undergoing treatment.

These noble services of The Church of Pentecost did not go unnoticed as many Ghanaians took to their social media platforms to shower praises on the Church.

The rousing cheer that greeted the mention of The Church of Pentecost at the event, prior to the award presentation, was clearly indicative of how highly the country values and appreciates the Church’s contribution to the country, hence the national honour.

Speaking at the event, President Akufo-Addo was grateful to all who contributed to efforts in defeating COVID-19 in Ghana.

“Our relative success in winning the fight against COVID-19 is a testament to the tireless work of our researchers, scientists, advisors, public health managers, frontline healthcare workers, hospital staff, contact tracers, the security services, public and private sector agencies, faith-based organisations, and many others,” he said.

The awards ceremony also saw thousands of other Ghanaians and institutions receiving various awards, including some faith-based organisation such as the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC), etc.

The event also had in attendance the Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Chief Justice Kwesi Anin Yeboah, Inspector General of Police George Akufo Dampare and a host of other government officials and state functionaries.

It is also worthy of note that a significant number of distinguished individuals honoured at the event were members of The Church of Pentecost. We wish to congratulate them for the commendable feat and to encourage them to keep up the good work as agents of transformation and as good “brand ambassadors” of The Church of Pentecost.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Anyaa-Ablekuma Area Supports Joma Police Station Project

Anyaa-Ablekuma Area Supports Joma Police Station Project

The Anyaa-Ablekuma Area of The Church of Pentecost has donated 100 bags of cement at the cost of GHȼ8000.00 to the Anyaa Police District Command in support of the Joma Police Station project.

The donation was made on Monday, March 13, 2023, by the Area Head, Apostle William Ohemeng-Kwakye. He was accompanied by some Area Executive Committee members and the Joma District Minister of the Church, Pastor Albert Amoafo Anim.

ASP Bright Kwabena Asare, the Anyaa District Commander and a member of The Church of Pentecost, who received the items on behalf of the police service, thanked the Church for the generous gesture.

According to him, the Joma Police Station project started in 2013 to improve security in the Joma community and other surrounding towns. However, the project stalled due to lack of resources, a reason why they solicited the help of the Church in completing the project.

“The vision of the police unit is to have community policing so that the police will be closer to the people to provide the needed security issues,” he said.

ASP Asare also assured the delegation that the donation would be used for its intended purpose.

Apostle William Ohemeng-Kwakye, in response, stated that, although the Church has unmet needs, they gave the Police service a prompt response to their request because the security of her members and the community at large is very dear to the leadership of the Church.

He further assured them of the Church’s commitment to support the project to its successful completion.

The Area Head also encouraged ASP Asare to remain resolute and faithful in discharging his duty so that Christ will be glorified through his good works.

Report by Anyaa-Ablekuma Area Media Team

NPP To Participate In National Politicians’ Conference

NPP To Participate In National Politicians’ Conference

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has pledged to fully participate in the upcoming National Politicians’ Conference being organised by The Church of Pentecost between June 14 and 16, 2023, at Gomoa-Fetteh near Kasoa.

The General Secretary of the ruling party, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua, gave the assurance when an eight-member delegation from The Church of Pentecost led by its General Secretary, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, paid a courtesy call on the national executives of the NPP at its headquarters at Asylum Down in Accra today (Tuesday, March 14, 2023) to brief them about the conference and invite them to participate in it.

“This is a godly conference, and we will not turn our back on God. We support the National Politicians’ Conference, and we shall fully come on board,” Lawyer Kodua stated.

The NPP General Secretary commended The Church of Pentecost for its contributions to the national development of Ghana in the areas of school buildings, hospitals, and prison facilities.

Contributing, the Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Stephen Ayesu Ntim, thanked the delegation from The Church of Pentecost for the visit and appealed to the various Christian denominations in Ghana to partner with key stakeholders to ensure a very peaceful election in Ghana in 2024. 

On his part, the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Kumi-Larbi, said the upcoming National Politicians’ Conference forms part of the 25 thematic areas of the five-year strategic vision of The Church of Pentecost, which is currently the largest Pentecostal church in Ghana, which has a presence in 151 nations with over four million membership.

“We want the impact of the Church to be felt in the nation. Consequently, The Church of Pentecost has over the years, organised several national events such as the Royals’ Conference, Ministers’ Conference, Environmental Care Campaign, and now preparing for the National Politicians’ Conference in June this year,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi continued: “We want to raise a generation of politicians, who will influence society with godly values and principles.”

The other members of The Church of Pentecost delegation present at the meeting include Apostle Lawrence Otu-Nyarko (Finance and Administration Director), Apostle Philip Osei-Korsah (Director of Counselling Ministry), Pastor Dr. Felix Dela Klutse (Media Ministry Pastor), Hon. Deaconess Elizabeth Sackey (Accra Mayor), Mr. Alfred Ofori Annye, Elder Stephen Djaba (Men’s Ministry Secretary), and Dr. Yao Yeboah (National Politicians’ Conference Planning Committee Secretary). 

Key NPP Executives present at the meeting include Ms. Rita Talata Asobayire (2nd Vice Chair), Dr. Charles Dwamena (National Treasurer), Ms. Kate Gyamfua (National Women’s Organizer) and other members of the party’s national executive committee.

Readers will recall that The Church of Pentecost delegation on March 7, 2023, also paid a courtesy call on the leadership of the opposition National Democratic Congress to invite the party to participate in the conference. The party executives also assured the Church of its preparedness to participate in the upcoming conference.

Online registration for the conference has been opened and ends on March 30, 2023. So far, about 1,000 politicians have registered.

The National Politicians’ Conference is expected to be attended by politicians in The Church of Pentecost and other denominations across the country.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Dynamics Of God’s Sovereignty For Maximum Impact In Possessing The Nations

Dynamics Of God’s Sovereignty For Maximum Impact In Possessing The Nations

INTRODUCTION

The church includes all people who have placed their trust in the Lord Jesus. Such people receive forgiveness of their sins and also receive the Holy Spirit to indwell them to impart eternal life – life that is unending – life that is in the presence of God for all eternity. Some members of the church have gone to be with the Lord; they are the triumphant church. The rest of the church still alive on earth is the militant church. God establishes the militant church on earth with the purpose of bringing to bear His Kingdom values and principles on earth among humanity. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God’s Kingdom. The values and principles of God’s Kingdom is the life & teachings of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This is the same as the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of God encompasses all the character and power of God, which in one word can be termed “God’s Righteousness”. Jesus is God’s Righteousness (2 Corinthains 5:21). The carrier of the Kingdom of God through the church to all spheres of the earth is the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:28, “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you”.

The church is the vessel through whom the Holy Spirit imparts God’s Kingdom values by means of salvation and discipleship of humanity. In concluding His message to the churches, through John on the Island of Patmos, Jesus emphasizes the partnership between the Holy Spirit and the church in the salvation and possessing of the nations (through discipleship, beginning with evangelism). Jesus said, ‘“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life’ (Revelations 22:17). Discipleship is by means of the dual partnership between “The Spirit” and “The Bride” (the church). In this article, I seek to throw light on the sweet partnership between the Holy Spirit and the church in possessing the nation. I posit that, God is sovereign and already at work in bringing enlightenment to individuals and groups of people and the role of the church is to walk in the Spirit so as to discern the move of God in real time and to respond with obedience. The result at all times is maximum impact in possessing the nations for Christ.

MOSAIC LAW COULDN’T FISH FOR MEN!

God draws souls by the inworking of the Holy Spirit through the life of Christians and the church. When the minds of people are possessed for Christ, then we can firmly say we have possessed the nations. When Jesus said, the church should go into the world and make disciples of all nations, He was referring to bringing the gospel to groups of people. The Greek word for “nations” in that passage in Matthew 28:18-20 is “ethnos”; it is from this word that we derive the phrase, “ethnic groups”. Among others, the main imagery used in the bible to represent souls is “fish”. The plural of the word “fish” is “fish” but when there are different varieties of fish within a net, the plural becomes “fishes”. In calling the disciples to Himself, Jesus made them to understand that, the purpose of their call is to become “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). This means, Jesus is the first cause in this whole divine purpose of “fishing for people”. It is Jesus who “makes us” fishers of men. Without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). That is the sovereignty of God. The sovereignty of God means that God always begins the process of his redemptive work and gives us enlightenment to understand it and then gives us the free will to choose or respond in either accepting it or rejecting it. Remember, it was Jesus who opened the minds of His disciples so that they might understand the scriptures.

Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day (Luke 24:45).

Generally, in this life, if we do not understand the sovereignty of God, we will struggle restlessly without any fruit to show. In Luke 5:1-11, Peter and his colleagues had gone for fishing – literally – and were washing their nets. Jesus goes close to them and tells them to “launch into the deep for a catch of fish”. In their feedback to Jesus as they had their first engagement before Jesus called them, Peter said, they had toiled all night without a catch but “at the Word of Christ”, they will retry. What was the result? They had a huge catch! This is maximum impact! Jesus concluded their interaction by calling them as His disciples and telling them that, henceforth – from that time, they would be made fishers of men. The lesson we see here which the article seeks to discuss is that, we get maximum impact in life when we partner with God; when we get to know the will and voice of God and respond in time, the results is maximum impact and rest. Many of us are restless in life because we, like Peter and his folks, are “trying our best” without the voice, will, direction and leading of the Spirit of God. Without the voice of God, as the divine light, we are only groping in spiritual darkness. The Mosaic Law in the Old Covenant could not give this light.

God gave the Mosaic Law to the people of Israel as an experiment for humanity to know that due to the Fall, humans are filled with lusts or inordinate desires and that makes it impossible for anyone to fully obey God’s law written on tablet – outside the human. Whenever the external written law meets human lusts, the result is sin, instead of righteousness. The Mosaic law was given for us to have this knowledge of the dynamics of sin and its consequence of death. The Mosaic Law lacked the power to deal with the sin nature of humanity; it diagnoses sins and prescribes “what to do” but does not give the power to do what to do. God therefore had to bring another law known as the Law of Spirit of Life in Christ. This law deals with sin – its fully pays the penalty of sin, forgives sins completely, cleanse the conscience of the sinner, crucifies the sin nature and gives divine power to a person to manifest the life of Christ. When the Spirit of Christ comes into the heart of a person, then they have been set free from the struggles with the Mosaic Law and have come under the supervision of a higher, better and empowering law. Living by the voice of the Holy Spirit (the unseen evidence) is what it means to walk by faith. He dwells in our hearts and writes what we have to do on our hearts, not like laws written with ink on external tablets. He also gives us the power to obey Him.

Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people (Galatians 3:19)

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin (Romans 3:20)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set youfree from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1-4)

Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So, the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian (Galatians 3:23-25)

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First, He says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then He adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. (Hebrews 10:15-17)

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3)

FISH OF MANY KINDS…WHERE THE RIVER GOES!

In promising this beautiful new era or new covenant, God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel was lying on the banks of the River Cheba in Babylon when the heavens were opened to him to see visions of God. The people of Judah (the Southern Kingdom of Israel after the split following the death of Solomon with their capital as Jerusalem) had been taken into captivity in Babylon by king Nebuchadnezzar. While in captivity, God began to reveal series of events to happen to Ezekiel for him to communicate to the people. Prime in this vision was the coming of the New Covenant which has been explained in earlier paragraphs of this article. God, in Ezekiel chapter 1, pictures the New Covenant (being led by the indwelling Holy Spirit) as four living creatures with wheels on the ground besides them; the four living creatures moved in the direction of the Spirit of God.

When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels (Ezekiel 1:19-21)

In using another imagery to speak of the New Covenant, God spoke of the river from the temple in Ezekiel 47. God said that everywhere the river would go, dead things will be made alive. When the river joins the sea, the water there will become fresh, swarms of living creatures will live, and there will be large number of fish because the water flows there and make the salt water, fresh. God goes in to say that, in such a place, there will be fish of many kinds and fishermen will stand along the shores to catch fish.

He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so, where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea (Ezekiel 47:8-10)

We see from this imagery that it is the river which flows into the sea that causes living creatures there to live and gather fish of many kinds for fishermen. When Jesus came on the scene where Peter and his colleagues were struggling to catch fish, there result was maximum impact. Jesus refers to this river (living waters) flowing from the temple as the Holy Spirit flowing out of the bellies of the new creation – you and I in Christ.

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified (John 7:37-39).

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

It is the outflow of the Holy Spirit from our lives in a particular direction that leads to maximum impact in the life of a person and in the quest by the church to experience maximum impact in possessing the nations. “Out of our bellies” means the Holy Spirit will go ahead of us and then we will follow. I remember an Ivorian fisherman with a French vessel who fellowshipped with us while in Seychelles. At a point, for 20 days, on the Indian ocean, their vessel had caught no fish. His Frenchmen challenged him to speak to “his friend up there” (referring to God) to help them. He called me and I told him to stretch his hands on the Indian ocean as I prayed as asked God to gather fish to their vessel by the wind of the Spirit. That night, to the glory of God, they caught many fish and had to leave some fish behind. Hallelujah! Glory to God!

A life of rest and maximum impact is a life that understands the sovereignty of God – that, God has a plan and desires to lead us and all we need to do is to respond by following His lead. Maximum impact, at the personal level, is to know the will of God for your life and to follow His lead in all aspects of your life. Maximum impact in possessing the nations is to know where and how God is moving and to flow along as local churches; it is to know where the Spirit of God has moved ahead to bring enlightenment to a person and a people. Jesus said, if the Father does not draw a person, he or she cannot come to salvation. God is merciful and gracious in giving opportunities for people to have enlightenment so as to make a decision to come to faith in Christ.

And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” (John 6:65)

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41-45)

If we do not pray to know the move of God and we just try by our own strength and experience, we do so much but, like Peter and his colleagues, we achieve very little. In Acts 16:6-10, we see the Spirit of Jesus resisting Paul from preaching in some places and leading Him to preach in another place. It is God who moves ahead to prepare the hearts of people for us to have harvest in soul winning. Our duty is to pray and discern the move of God and flow along. Sometimes, the resistance is the devil and we must discern and contend in prayer against his works and prevail over it; other times, the resistance is from the Lord. Effective prayer in evangelism and church planting is seeking to know where God is moving. If God could lead king Cyrus who did not have the Spirit of God indwelling him, how much more the new creation?

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So, they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them (Acts 16:6-10).

This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut: “I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and the riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name (Isaiah 45:1-3)

I remember in my first ministerial station, Poyentanga in Wa Area, Upper West Region of Ghana, we planted a number of assemblies but how two of them were planted really highlighted the sovereignty of God so clearly. In both cases, a young man will come from a community and tell us that they need a church in the community and people are gathered and waiting for us. Before they came, like in the case of Peter and Cornelius, the Lord will grant peace in our hearts as we waited upon Him in prayer for direction. It was amazing! The sovereignty of God would always bring to mind, the song, “The cloud of glory is moving”. Hallelujah! Singing…

The cloud of glory is moving

Move with the cloud (2x)

The cloud of glory is moving

Move with the cloud (2x)

Let your spirit arise

And your mouth filled with praise

Come, let us worship together

And wherever He will be

New heights will be achieved

Move with the cloud (2x)

FISH OR SCORPION?

At the personal level, the principle is the same. To make maximum impact, one must understand the sovereignty of God in their lives and flow by the leadings of His Spirit. The sovereignty of God in the life of a person is in two folds – God uses situations and circumstances the person has no control over to draw them to the point of enlightenment by the gospel then He gives them the space to take a decision to receive or reject the gospel by their freewill. This phase also includes the role a person plays, as an unbeliever, in the salvation of others. Once a person receives the gospel, he or she receives forgiveness of sin and the Holy Spirit now comes to indwell them and begins the next realm of the flow of the sovereignty of God in their lives. If they reject, God continues to give them periodic visitation so as to expose them to more opportunities to accept Christ. When the allocated period of God’s visitation is over – the person seals their condemnation. This happens especially when the person after so many exposures to the gospel, refuse to repent and turn to Christ, and rather choose to go deeper in a false doctrine, religiosity or be a frontline advocate for any of the agenda of Satan such as the ideology of secular humanism and homosexuality. Such a person is very likely to die in their sins because after so many exposures to the gospel, they feel they know it all; they blaspheme the Holy Spirit and trample the Spirit of grace underfoot. They have crossed the line – to into the realm of unpardonable sin. The devil takes over and lead them into more and more depravity resulting in death without repentance. Every sin is forgiven by the blood of Jesus but what will forgive the unpardonable sin which is the sin of rejecting the testimony of the Holy Spirit about the blood of Jesus as atonement for sin? Nothing! A person in deliberate or willful sin of rejecting the testimony of the Spirit of Christ about Christ becomes a reprobate – damned! Such people are “scorpions”, not “fish”! The Father will not give the church “scorpions”, but “fish”.

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:26-29)

“Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons and daughters of men, and whatever blasphemies they commit; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” (Matthew 3:28-29)

Paul talks about such reprobates but gives thanks to God on behalf of the redeemed for their obedience to the gospel – Paul speaks about two sets of people – the redeemed and the reprobates:

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruitsto be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:9-13)

In the book of Jude, Jude creates awareness to the church about these reprobates. He encourages the church to be aware of them and to stay aware from them while they focused on getting grounded in their faith in Christ. In creating the contrast between the church and these reprobates, Jude describes the reprobates but when it comes to the church, Jude would start by saying, “But you, dear friends…”. This is what Jude says in verse 3 & 4:

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written aboutlong ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord (Jude 3-4)

It is difficult for a person who has had many chances of enlightenment to come to be renewed again to repentance when they have consistently rejected the offer! This was the state of many Hebrews after Jesus had ascended into heaven and the gospel was being preached to them; they struggled to receive the gospel after many opportunities. The writer of Hebrews talks about these people to the believers among the Hebrews and assures them that, their case is different because they have taken advantage of their time of visitation and received the gospel. Hallelujah! We do not need to waste time on people whose time of visitation is not yet up or whose time of visitation has passed – awaiting another merciful time of visitation. We must go where the Spirit is visiting; we move when the cloud moves!

Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so. It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallenaway, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised (Hebrews 6:1-12).

NO COMPETITION FLOW ALONG “THY RIVER”

As has already been discussed, God’s sovereignty is in two folds for a person. The first part is the events and people God uses in the attempts to draw us to salvation in Christ as well as the part we play in our state of unbelievers in the salvation of others. The second part is God’s plans for us after we have come into Christ. When some of the roles a person, as an unbeliever, plays in the salvation of others are ordained by God and prophesied ahead of time, like in the case of Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, Cyrus etc., God gives increasing mercy and often long life for this “vessel of wrath”, as Paul’s calls them it in Romans 9, to have opportunities to make a decision for the gospel.

It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”Therefore, God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory (Romans 9:16-23).

So, he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:14-15)

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing (Ezra 1:1)

The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it whichever way He wishes (Proverbs 21:1)

God has sovereign plans for each person before salvation and after salvation. Before salvation, there are things that will happen to us which He has ordained to happen to us without our control so as to contribute to His redemptive plans and there are other things that happens to us because we used our freewill to decide leading to disastrous consequences. We cannot blame God for such decisions within the realm of our freewill. It is indeed true that, sometimes, “The foolishness of man undermines his way [ruining whatever he undertakes]; Then his heart is resentful and rages against the LORD [for, being a fool, he blames the LORD instead of himself] (Psalm 19:3). Satan often operates on the freewill domain to ensure that a person dies before their time so that God’s sovereign move in their lives towards their salvation and those of others will not happen.

As discussed earlier, some, like Pharoah, are ordained as vessels of wrath to try to stand against God’s salvation and for such people, God gives mercy for them to have more chances to be saved. When they are ripe for salvation and we are discerning, God will always lead us to them like He led Peter to Cornelius (Acts chapters 9 & 10). Others who are vessels of honor such as Moses, Samuel, Jesus, Timothy etc., born as exceptional children with redemptive purposes, receives godly direction right from infancy, guiding them right into their salvation when they become adults. They may have their struggles with the flesh, but God disciplines them and guides them into salvation so as to use them for their divinely-ordained redemptive purpose.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

In his book, “The Making of a Leader”, Dr. J. R. Clinton posits that, right from birth, God ordains six (6) phases in the life of a person with different sets of process items (events and people) – all with the aim to drawing the person to salvation in Christ and thereafter into ministry (receiving God’s goodness and sharing with others under the power and leading of the Holy Spirit). These six phases are: Sovereign Foundations; Inner Life Growth; Ministry Maturing; Life Maturing: Convergence; and Afterglow (or Celebration). The events ordained by God to lead a person to salvation in Christ and their role, as unbelievers, towards the salvation of others is what Dr. Clinton refers to as “Sovereign Foundation”. Details of each of these six phases will be focus for another article.

CONCLUSION

Let me conclude by saying that, God has brought together lots of past experiences and people (some of whom were very evil) to draw us to salvation in Christ. He has now given us the Holy Spirit to flow out of our bellies as rivers of living waters to direct us into His plans for our lives. There is no room for comparing ourselves to others; God has unique plans for each of us. There is no need to restlessly compere for positions at all cost – even leading to the death of other humans. We are called to help one another to practice a life of hearing the voice of the Lord and walking in them. This understanding helps us to avoid restlessness and manipulation because we know that our lives are in the hands of the Lord. When we flow with the leading of the Spirit as our response to the sovereign moves of God, the result is maximum impact of our personal lives and maximum impact of our lives as local churches in possessing the nations for Christ. There is no room for worry, fear, anxiety etc. The song that will describe the true state of our hearts at all times will be:

You don’t have to worry and don’t you be afraid
Joy comes in the morning, troubles days don’t last always
For there’s a friend in Jesus, who will wipe your tears away
And if your heart is broken, just lift your hands and say:
“I know that I can make it

I know that I can stand
No matter what may come my way
My life is in your hands”

So, when the tests and trials, may seem to get you down
And all your friends and loved ones are nowhere to be found
Remember there’s friend in Jesus, who will wipe your tears away
And if your heart is broken, just lift your hands and say
“I know that I can make it

I know that I can stand
No matter what may come my way
My life is in your hands

With Jesus, I can take it
With him I know I can stand
No matter what may come my way
My life is in your hands”
“I know that I can make it

I know that I can stand
No matter what may come my way
My life is in your hands.

Written by Apostle S. K. Fianko-Larbi (CoP-Kenya National Head & CoP East African Bloc Coordinator)

I Want To Know Him More - Ex-Fraudster & Idolater Encounters Christ

“I Want To Know Him More” – Ex-Fraudster & Idolater Encounters Christ

Michael Elikplim engaged in many fraudulent activities and made a living out of scamming people for their hard-earned money.

As Eliplim got richer, he acquired houses, cars and other properties at luxurious locations and was enjoying the good life.

To secure his wealth and have his victims spellbound, he went to some spiritualists for charms to back his trade.

All seemed to be going well for Michael until one fateful day when his whole world came crushing down on him.

A close friend of his betrayed him and caused his arrest. As a result, he lost all he had acquired, albeit fraudulently.

After the dust settled on the situation, he headed to his hometown, Adaklu in the Volta Region of Ghana, to escape the shame, disgrace and misfortune that had befallen him.

But tried as he did, Michael was unable to move past his predicaments and thoughts of spiritual forces continued to taunt him.

On the March 9, 2023, two members of the Evangelism Ministry Advance Team, who had been stationed at the Adaklu District, paid him a visit as part of a house-to-house evangelism exercise.

Michael shared his story with them and they, in turn, told him about Jesus Christ and how He paid for the sin of all humanity.

Right after hearing the message, Michael made the decision to accept Christ into his life and insisted on being baptised by immersion.

“I feel like a big burden had been lifted off my shoulders,” he said afterwards.

Michael is very zealous about his new-found faith and now holds Bible studies at his residence.

His thirst for the things of the Lord keeps growing by the day.

When quizzed about his passion for study of the Bible, a rejuvenated Michael said: “I want to know Him (Jesus) more and more.”

The house-to-house evangelism exercise was part of activities organised by the Evangelism Ministry ahead of the upcoming “Ho for Christ” Crusade.

The crusade, which is under the theme: Jesus Came To Seek and Save (Luke 19:10), would be held at the Anglokordzi-Rabazey Children’s Park. It would be climaxed on Saturday, March 18, with a free medical outreach.

PENTECOST NEWS