New Tafo Area Welcomes Prophet Tetteh Doku & Family

The New Tafo Area of The Church of Pentecost has organised a special service to officially welcome their new Area Head, Prophet Samuel Tetteh Doku, and his family.

Prophet Tetteh Doku, who was transferred from Takoradi District, replaces Apostle Samuel Antwi, who recently retired from active ministerial service, having served meritoriously for 38 years.

Officiated by Apostle John Budu Kobina Tawiah (Kwadaso Area Head), the welcome service, which took place on Sunday, September 4, 2022, at the M. K. Yeboah Memorial Temple, Krofrom in Kumasi, attracted a high turnout.

Delivering the sermon at the event on the topic, “The Messenger of God,” Apostle Tawiah urged Christians always to acknowledge the fact that it is God who calls, and He calls from among men to make His purpose known to the world. According to him, this is why even Christ had to take the form of a human being to accomplish His God-given assignment (Hebrews 5:1-5).

“No one can call himself a man or a minister of God unless God makes him one,” he said, adding, “No pastor or a man of God is an angel.” He noted that since a minister of God is human, they have weaknesses. He, however, said that even in their weaknesses, the strength of God makes them strong, and grace also abounds for them.

Taking his main Bible texts from Exodus 3:7ff; 4:29-31; Deuteronomy 18:15-22, the Kwadaso Area Head intimated that whoever is called by God is assigned a responsibility or a particular task to perform. Such a person, he said, works in the name of God, adding that signs and wonders follow them.

In his exposition, Apostle J. B. K Tawiah, who doubles as the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Committee Secretary, further revealed that every messenger of God has a message to deliver to the people they have been sent to and that they are determined to speak the truth no matter the situation.

According to him, such people do not project themselves, but rather project Jesus as Lord. He, therefore, admonished ministers of God to ensure that they speak the mind of God at all times, saying, “Don’t conjure up anything and say what God has not said,” he cautioned.

“No messenger of God works alone; he needs support and cooperation of the people to whom he has been sent,” he added while urging the New Tafo Area to fully accept Prophet Samuel Tetteh as a man sent by God and cooperate with him for the realisation of the purpose for which he was sent to them.

Prophet Samuel Tetteh Doku is married to Mrs Victoria Tetteh Doku and their union is blessed with four children. He was called into the full-time ministry of The Church of Pentecost in 2004 and has since served in Dominase, Bubuashie, Koforidua and Takoradi Districts.

Report by Emmanuel Nana Nsiah.

Assin Foso PIWC Inaugurated

The Assin Foso Area of The Church of Pentecost has inaugurated the Assin Foso branch of the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC).

The English-speaking cosmopolitan church was carved out of the Foso Station District of the church. 

The inaugural ceremony which coincided with the welcome service for the pioneer Resident Minister, Pastor Enoch Amoah, and his family was held on August 31, 2022, at the Hall of Champions of PIWC-Assin Foso. The service was officiated by the Area Head, Apostle Frederick Kweku Andoh.

In a brief sermon on the topic, “The Word to the Called,” Apostle Andoh admonished Christians who feel called not to be only enthused with the privileges attached to the call, but also carry out the assigned responsibilities as well.

Quoting from Isaiah 42:5-9, Apostle Andoh said that God calls for a purpose, and for those He calls, He equips to succeed.

“God equips His called ones through His word. Through His word, He reveals Himself, His purpose, and His ways to the called,” he noted.

Concluding his message, Apostle Frederick Andoh encouraged all who feel called to be a blessing to others and also endeavour to bring glory to the Lord.

PIWC-Assin Foso was born out of the need to bridge the language barrier to accommodate an expatriate from Denmark in 1995. The then District Minister, the late Pastor Matthew Tetteh Wayoe, took the opportunity to start an English assembly to meet that need which has over the years grown to its present state.

Inaugurating the worship centre, Apostle Andoh explained that the concept of PIWC is a special ministry of The Church of Pentecost dedicated to meeting the spiritual needs of persons who are exposed to or more comfortable with the Western form of worship, as well as persons who are considered “elite” in society.

He, therefore, encouraged professionals in the church to evangelise to their colleagues and invite them to church.

In attendance were a cross-section of the pastorate and their wives in the Area, officers and family members of the new minister, among others.

Report by Pastor Samuel Avornyo, Area Reporter.

Girl Miraculously Receives Her Sight After Going Blind

A fourteen-year-old visually impaired girl, Benedicta Awaki had her sight restored after being prayed for by an elder of The Church of Pentecost.

Benedicta was led by her headmaster, Mr Agemina Benjamin, to Elder Samuel Adda in school for prayer support when she mysteriously went blind.

This is how Elder Samuel Adda narrated the incident: When the headmaster brought Benedicta to me, upon further interrogation, it was revealed that she had been having scary dreams in which some people wanted to kill her. She decided to confide in her headmaster when the scary dreams kept on reoccurring since her parents died some years ago based on the same trend.

Since it was time for closing, I advised the headmaster to see her family since she and her family were not Christians.

Unfortunately, before we could even meet her family, we received reports that Benedicta had mysteriously gone blind the following morning.

When I heard this, I rushed to the house and found the report to be true. Immediately, I led her to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and saviour and then spent time praying with her. I returned later that evening with a brother, Apaaya Jonathan, to pray for her and assured the family of divine healing.

On Wednesday, 26th January 2022, I visited the house in the morning to check on Benedicta, but I was told she had been taken to the eye clinic in Bolgatanga. But upon returning from the eye clinic, they reported to me that, the eye specialist could not identify what was wrong with her eyes. So they were simply asked to go home.

At this point, frustration was setting in. Benedicta’s grandmother was running out of patience. The little girl was now being blamed for everything that had happened to her. I spoke to the family and encouraged them to exercise patience and wait on the Lord for a miracle.

I went back to the house in the afternoon and prayed for her again, and by this time everybody had left her for me alone. But that was the time the miracle-working Jesus visited her with a miracle. After the prayer, I asked Benedicta to stop crying and go and sleep then I left for home. Some minutes after I got home, a phone call came through that she woke up from sleep at once and screamed “I can see,” and there was a great joy and celebration in the house that afternoon.

Glory to Jesus for doing such a great thing!

Former Women’s Director Builds Church Building In Kumbungu District

The immediate past Women’s Ministry Director of The Church of Pentecost, Deaconess Grace Lucy Yeboah-Asuama, and her family has singlehandedly built a church building worth GH₵ 94,000.00 for the Zangbalun Assembly in Kumbungu District of the Tamale Area of the church.

The short dedication service which took place on Saturday, August 13, 2022, was officiated by the Tamale Area Head of the church, Apostle Sylvester, who is also an Executive Council Member of the church.

On her motivation for putting up the church building, Mrs Grace Lucy Yeboah-Asuama, who fellowships with the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in Sunyani, said that the gesture was an expression of her gratitude to God and The Church of Pentecost for the mercies shown to her family during her tenure as the Women’s Ministry Director of the church.

Delivering a brief exhortation on the topic, “The Lord Who Sees,” based on Genesis 16:1-16, Apostle Arhin said that believers serve a God who sees all things, and as such they must approach Him with reverence and sincerity, saying, “Worshippers of God must shun the act of doing service to please people.”

“One of the sins the Lord cannot tolerate is pride. Embrace humility in your servitude in this life’s journey to receive a blessing from God,” he stressed.

Apostle Arhin who is an Executive Council Member of the church iterated that the blessings, progress and prosperity of Christians are positioned in a place where God has planted them.

He further encouraged people who have backslidden, hardened their hearts towards God, neglected their prayer altars and lost their love and evangelistic passion for God, to return to their first love.

Concluding, Apostle Sylvester Arhin admonished Christians to endeavour to serve the Lord faithfully, and yearn for a personal encounter with God, while being focused on witnessing and discipling souls for God’s kingdom.

He, therefore, urged Christians to “embrace a lifestyle of humility and submit to the constituted leadership the Lord has placed over us in the various places.”

The Kumbungu District Minister, Pastor Ephraim Kofi Ahiable, on behalf of the district, expressed their gratitude to the Lord and the love shown them by the Yeboah-Asuama family.

“This is the first ever church building in the district to have a ceiling and tiled floor. The entire church is challenged by the generosity of the Yeboah-Asuama family to serve the Lord sacrificially in expanding the frontiers of God’s kingdom,” he mentioned.

The district presented a citation to Deaconess Grace Lucy Yeboah-Asuama, which was received on her behalf by Deaconess Mrs. Anna Esinam Baah (Virtuous Ladies Coordinator, Tamale Area).

Present were leaders of the Kumbungu Local Council of Churches and representatives of the Chief of Zangbalun.

Also, in attendance were Mrs. Vivian Arhin (wife of the Tamale Area Head), Pastor B. A. M. Abogorago (Area Secretary), and a section of ministers and their wives from the Tamale Metro.

Report by Overseer Solomon Anderson, Busunu.

Apostle Larbi Wettey & Wife Miraculously Survive Car Crash

Apostle Matthew Larbi Wettey, a retired minister of The Church of Pentecost, and his wife, Elizabeth, miraculously escaped a horror crash on Friday while on their way home from Nsawam.

The couple, together with a 92-year-old relative, were on their way to their residence in Tema Community 25.  

As they approached the overhead, construction workers on the Dawhenya stretch signaled oncoming vehicles to slow down as work was ongoing, so all the vehicles, including that of the retired minister, began to decelerate.

Suddenly, a Toyota Corolla vehicle on top speed run into their vehicle from behind. The impact of the crash was so severe that it caused a reciprocal effect on the cars ahead, as they also ran into each other.

By the grace of God, all three occupants of the car, including Apostle Matthew Larbi Wettey, sustained no injuries despite the impact of the collision. The driver of the Toyota vehicle, a lay preacher of the Deeper Life Church, also survived the crash unscathed.

After the incident, Apostle Matthew Larbi Wettey, his wife, and their nonagenarian relative, underwent a medical assessment at the hospital and have since been discharged.

To God be the glory.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Newly-Created PIWC-New Tafo Inaugurated

The newly-created Pentecost International Worship Centre, New Tafo (PIWC-New Tafo), in the Effiduase Area of The Church of Pentecost, has been inaugurated to the glory of God.

The colourful inaugural ceremony, held on August 26, 2022, at the New Tafo Akim Central Assembly church auditorium, in Koforidua, was officiated by the Effiduase Area Head, Apostle Daniel Yeboah Nsaful.

The event also served as a welcome service for the pioneer Resident Minister, Pastor Daniel Adjabeng Kissi, and the dedication of a new mission house for the minister.

PIWC-New Tafo was created during the Extraordinary Council Meetings this year after it was carved out of the New Tafo District of the Church. 

In a brief sermon on the topic, “Let Us Rise And Build,” Apostle Yeboah Nsaful admonished Christians to rise and help build the Church of God, saying: “Everybody has a role to play.”

Quoting from Nehemiah 2:17-18 and 2 Chronicles 14:1-7, the Effiduase Area Head said that just as the people of Israel agreed to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, every Christian must be involved in the kingdom work, adding: “No one person can build a nation, hence the need for everyone to get involved.”

Apostle Yeboah Nsaful iterated that building a house requires the services and expertise of many artisans and professionals, each of whom plays a significant role in the building process. 

He, therefore, urged the leadership and members of the Church to assist the new minister to succeed in the quest to possess the nations for Christ.  

Inaugurating the worship centre, Apostle Nsaful explained that the concept of PIWC is a special ministry of the Church dedicated to meeting the spiritual needs for persons who are exposed to or more comfortable with the western form of worship, as well as persons who are considered “elite” in society. He, therefore, encouraged professionals in the Church to evangelise to their colleagues and invite them to Church.

In attendance were the Effiduase Area Pastorate and their wives, officers and family members of the in-coming minister, among others.

Report by Ezekiel Korletey.

The Value Of Regular Monitoring Of Your Vital Signs – A Quick Read

The vital signs are important biological, biochemical, physiological and hormonal indicators of a person’s general health status. They are the objective measurements of the body’s most basic operations. Their processes perform essential functions for the living body. They are “vital” because they are urgently needed; absolutely necessary; a manifestation and sign of life. Even in triaging patients i.e., assessing or sorting patients according to importance or urgency of clinical presentation, the first set of clinical examinations is an evaluation of the vital signs of the patient.

Traditionally, vital signs include the body’s temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation. Generally, vital signs provide a snapshot of what is going on in the body, if the values are outside the normal range, they may point to a dysfunction in the body.

BODY TEMPERATURE

The normal internal body temperature ranges from 36.5 to 37.2 degrees Celsius (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate there has been a microbial exposure and the body is fighting an infection. When there is a microbial exposure in the body, the immune system sends signals to the hypothalamus to increase the body’s temperature. This process in turn weakens the invading microorganisms and allows the specific body’s immune cells to respond appropriately, halting the pathogenesis of the microorganism. Upon successful victory by the immune cells, the body temperature will return to normal. However, prolong elevated body temperature needs a medical attention.

BLOOD PRESSURE

The blood pressure is the pressure of the circulating blood against the walls of the blood vessels. Two numbers i.e., a numerator and a denominator are recorded when measuring blood pressure. The numerator (the systolic pressure/higher value) displays the pressure inside the artery when the heart pumps blood to the body. The denominator (the diastolic pressure/lower value) represents artery pressure when the heart is at rest. The blood pressure is considered normal at 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) (Check to verify if you have this value). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate a concern for the health of the heart and brain and it associated blood vessels. E.g., coronary heart disease (heart attack), hypertension or stroke (brain attack).

PULSE RATE

The pulse rate is the number of times the heart beats in a minute. It ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm) (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate a concern for the health of the heart and its associated blood vessels.

RESPIRATORY RATE

The respiratory rate is the number of times anyone breathes in a minute. It ranges from 12 to 20 breaths per minute (bpm). (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate signs of respiratory illness, signs of a respiratory allergic exposure, respiratory poisoning, heart disease, lung infections, signs of a general infection, pain and emotional changes.

OXYGEN SATURATION

Oxygen saturation means the amount of oxygen saturated-hemoglobin relative to the total hemoglobin in the blood. It ranges from 95 to 100%. (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate the lack of adequate oxygen saturatedhemoglobin reaching the organs of the body. This can compromise organ functions.

Take note however, that, many sources of internal and external variables affect the scores of these vital signs. E.g., age, external temperature, physical activity, pregnancy etc. Nonetheless, vital signs monitoring is the critical first step for a healthy and long life. Be intentional about monitoring your vital signs.

Are you ready to monitor your vital signs but do not have the equipment and skill? Visit us at the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Pentecost University and we will be happy to help.

Thank you.

Written by Mr. Reginald Arthur-Mensah Jnr, David Sablah & Dr. Abigail Kyei (Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Pentecost University)

Apostle Debrah & Family Leave Kintampo For Atonsu

A farewell service was held last Sunday in honour of the outgone Kintampo Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Gideon Obeng-Darko Debrah, and his family, to appreciate them for their praiseworthy service to the Kintampo Area in the last five years.

The event, which took place at the Grace Boahen Memorial Temple auditorium, Kintampo, was officiated by Apostle James Gabriel Quardson (Sunyani Area Head) and ably assisted by Apostles Samuel Berko (Berekum Area Head), William Edzorhoho (Goaso Area Head) and Pastor Daniel Frimpong Manso (Tepa Area Head). 

The glorious service drew a mammoth gathering, including ministers and wives in the region, relatives and friends of the minister, as well as officers and members of the Kintampo Area.

The Area Presbytery, Area Pastorate, and the Area Women’s Ministry took turns to testify about Apostle Debrah and his wife, Mama Mabel, at the event and presented citation plaques to them.

A testimony read on behalf of the area pastorate by Pastor Akwasi Amponsah (Area Secretary), described him as a man of four (4) Fs, that is, friendly, firm, frank and fair and one who demonstrated leadership as a good counsellor, mentor, teacher and father to all. 

“He is disciplined and principled as far as the Kingdom business and the church policies are concerned. Apostle Debrah is very courageous, visionary and very focused on life and ministry. Ministers are able to approach him with their challenges. His earnest desire is to see to the welfare and progress of ministers and the entire church,” the testimony read.

In a testimony on behalf of the Area Presbytery, Elder Benjamin Ofosu Okyere (Area Deacon) described Apostle Debrah as a decent and well-organised man of God who works with passion and integrity. 

“His philosophy is clear-cut: The Father’s business must be faithfully accomplished,” he further stated.

He also stated that during Apostle Debrah’s tenure as Kintampo Area Head, the Area saw a significant increase in its finances, especially in tithes and missions offering, which recorded an increment of over 200% in five years.

During the same period, the area recorded a 47% increment in membership, opening of 44 new assemblies and six new districts, as well as, completion and dedication of 41 church buildings and 15 mission houses.

He also undertook the “One District One Motoking” project, which resulted in 18 tricycles (Motor King) being presented to 18 districts in the Area.

The Women’s Ministry also described Mrs Mabel Debrah as a good leader, counsellor, approachable, teacher and mother to everybody. They applauded her for her sterling leadership to the women in the Area. 

Using Lamentation 3:20-23, Numbers 14:5-9 and Joshua 14:6-9, Apostle James Quardson, in a sermon titled “Accessing God’s faithfulness: A Case Study of Caleb,” admonished Christians to develop a strong conviction about God and His faithfulness irrespective of the challenges that come their way.

He advised them to learn from Caleb, who was not intimidated by the giants on the land but gave a good report based on his conviction about God’s faithfulness in their journey. 

Apostle Quardson emphasised that God closely observes His people as He walks with them and He expects them to be faithful in all circumstances. 

Present at the service were Apostle J.B.K Tawiah (Kwadaso Area Head), Hon. Isaac Baffoe Ameyaw (Municipal Chief Executive for Kintampo North) as well as wives of the Area Heads in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions.

Report by Overseer Prince Augustine Ababio (Kintampo Area Reporter)

The Womanising “Christian”: A Self-Inflicted Misery Lane

The Cambridge Dictionary defines a womanizer as a man who often has temporary sexual relationships with women or tries to get women to have sex with him. I won’t be surprised if you are probably wondering how the above definition can have anything to do with Christianity as the title appears to suggest. I am also with you but for now, hold your peace and take a walk with me as we go through the write-up. A Christian is someone who has surrendered his or her life to the Lord Jesus Christ and living according to His word. Unfortunately, some men claim to have accepted the Lord Jesus as their saviour but still indulge in this old lifestyle of theirs. Strangely, other believers who even didn’t have such past experiences have also veered into that slippery lane and have become full-time womanizers.

Many reasons have been given by both the victims and culprits in the womanizing venture to absorb them from any condemnation. Some men have also tried sweeping the phenomena of womanizing under the carpets by calling it names such as a mere weakness they may have to manage and live with until the return of Christ. The objective of the article is to outline some of the reasons womanizers give for indulging in such acts and reflects them in the mirror of God’s word to ascertain their merits. The write-up looks at men who engage in sexual acts with women other than their duly married wives. It also attempts to highlight some of the unimaginable miseries accompanying the act of womanizing as a lesson for Christian men who have taken one step down that lane. Although focused on men, I believe both sexes can glean lessons from the write-up and also use it to help others. Our sisters must, however, watch out for the flip side of this article titled, “The strange Woman in Worship” in my next episode.

Generally speaking, the traits of womanizing which is fundamentally lust derive their strength from the fallen nature of humankind or the Adamic seed of sin. It can, therefore, be concluded that until Christ begins to rule one’s heart, every man born of a woman is predisposed to the act of sniffing for other women beyond their legally procured partners. Lust only seeks to magnify the ecstasy of orgasm in one’s mind by exaggerating the end benefits before the act of fornication. Soon afterwards, the reality sets in to realize it was just hype of a promised excitement attached with loads of disappointments, regrets, anguish, loss of appeal and hatred just to mention a few. One wonders whatever came over King David’s son Amnon to manoeuvre his way through all the odds even to the point of feigning sickness to have an affair with his sister Tamar. Just after the act, his hatred for her got aroused. “Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out! He called his personal servant and said, “Get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her.” So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her...” (2 Samuel 13:15-18).

Environmental factors, one’s upbringing and associates, Socio-Economic status in society as well as fame are usually the fertilizers that help the Adamic seed of lust to germinate and blossom. After accepting and surrendering to Christ, one is expected to put on the new nature and do away with the old. 2 Corinthians 5:18 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” However, some Christian men appear to be still struggling with womanizing. They are still hiding and indulging in it because they view it as something they must manage and live with. Reasons some believers have given for their inability to close their zips to other women other than their wives are as discussed below;

  1. Ancestral Curse: Some will like society to excuse them for following any woman they so chance upon due to their family history. They insist the spirit of womanizing resides right in their ancestry and can, therefore, do very little to extricate themselves from its yoke. They keep a tall list of their great grandparents and Uncles who were terrible in the venture of womanizing and are even thankful theirs is relatively milder. Yes, curses and evil altars exist but blessings and God’s redemptive power is equally real. The act of believing and surrendering one’s life to Christ is what energizes and puts him on higher ground to say no to handling any overbearing baton of lust being passed from one generation to the other. The Lord Jesus took all such yokes and burdens the devil placed on humankind to the cross because He was made to symbolize all of that. His precarious death and subsequent resurrection on the third day assure victory over every form of enslavement for all who genuinely subscribe to His Kingdom. There can, therefore, be no sustainable session of deliverance for those who are not ready and willing to stop following women. In Matthew 12:43-45, “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first…” We must, therefore, not be surprised by the phenomenon where some who once underwent exorcism and got their freedom from lust at times become worse exhibiting hyper levels of it after some time. It is not a mystery. The above scripture has explained this to the lack of determination from an individual to close that chapter in his life after being set free by the resurrection power. Maintaining a spiritually hygienic heart that repels all lustful tendencies is, therefore, key and the responsibility of all who surrender to Christ and not that of the devil or God. Saturating your heart with feed from the toxins of certain sites on social media or the media landscape is tantamount to garnishing your heart to invite more sophisticated agents of lust into your bosom. Blaming, therefore, your ancestors afterwards for your inability to refrain from womanizing is not tenable.
  2. Influence of demonic forces or women possessed by evil spirits: Others also blame their womanizing escapades on demonic forces, evil spirits or charms their unsuspecting victims used on them. They argue vociferously that they wouldn’t have denied Christ if not for the influence and evil spell they succumbed to. Some also have testimonies of a certain food they ate and looks from the opposite sex that bound all their senses as though they had been hypnotized to the slaughterhouse. No one denies the possibility of the influences of the spirit world on such matters. Indeed, the Bible even attest to such wicked tendencies of the forces of this dark world. Perhaps, what these group who often front such arguments fail to realize is their indirect exaltation and magnification of the devil’s power over that of God who is rather the Omnipotent. What do you think must happen when a lady infested with a seductive spirit or charm encounters a Holy Spirit-filled Christian in a possible showdown of powers? In 1 Samuel 5:2-5, the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and placed it in the same room with Dagon their god for safe keep in a battle with Israel. The next day, Dagon had fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord. The people of Ashdod who were the stewards at Dagon’s temple took Dagon and put him back in his place for a second-round bout. The following morning, there was Dagon, fallen again on his face on the ground before the ark, but this time his head and hands had broken off his body. The Ark of the Lord carried the very presence of God because in it was God’s word given to Moses according to 2 Chronicles 5:10. There is, therefore, bound to be a knockout anytime evil spirits attempt to meander their ways and flex their muscles around a Spirit-filled Christian. Believers who carelessly walk on the path of the strange woman and get entangled but turn around to testify about the mystical powers of such women are a complete insult to Grace. Falling prostrated under a demonic charm of a slay Queen indicates the ruler of one’s heart. The Spirit of God does not bow to evil forces so, kindly check your heart and find out whether the Self or another spirit hasn’t captured your entire being. If so, quickly take the necessary steps to enthrone Christ in your heart else the future will be miserably terrible because you won’t have any demon to cross-examine on the judgment day for masterminding your downfall.
  3. Too handsome to behold or one’s physical appearance: One’s appearance and physic are fundamentally God-given since He is the creator. Besides, certain physical features are mostly inherited from our parents with very little work done to attain them. Unfortunately, some believers use those God-given looks to chase women but turn around to argue that they are rather being pestered by women day and night. Using your God-made features to glorify and patronize the devil by following women is a stab in the back. Proverbs 31:2-3 says, “Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers! Do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings.” Handsome Joseph served as a slave in Potiphar’s house. Under all the circumstances he found himself, he resisted Mrs Potiphar as much as she persisted to have an affair with him. In Genesis 39:6-10, “ Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while, his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!… How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her.” Remember scripture makes it clear that the woman persisted for a while until she found an opportune time to pounce on him on that fateful day. Joseph triumphed in that crucial and destiny-changing encounter with God’s help because he firmly decided not to sleep with someone he wasn’t married to. Unlike our dispensation, the Old Testament Patriarchs did not have the benefit of the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If Joseph who was not a tongues-speaking child of God chose to rather glorify God with his good looks, then Mr Christian handsome gentleman, you have no excuse but to wake up from where you have fallen and stand tall for God rather than women.
  4. The norm associated with wealth, fame or brilliance in a talent given by God: Some Christians also posit that they were fine in their relationship with God until they started enjoying God’s abundant blessings in their businesses. They argue that the sudden change in their social status financially is what exposed them to womanizing. Even though they claim to have an unwavering faith in Christ, their newly found business partners and trips coupled with customer care relationships make it difficult to keep their spouses alone. As though God made a mistake in blessing them, they would do everything to support their churches with their resources but still, manage to keep one or two concubines undercover. How fair is it to flaunt cash and goodies around vulnerable young ladies to draw them closer and then turn around to complain women are following you because of your money? It is said that women admire and are easily attracted to people with fame or men who trend for excelling in one talent or the other are often spoken about. So, what is God’s mistake in empowering and enabling us to excel in our fields of endeavour? Why do we take advantage of people’s admiration for the brilliance we display to sleep with them? Some Bible-believing sportsmen, politicians, academicians, media show hosts, Gospel musicians, instrumentalists and unfortunately ministers of the Gospel have proven to be bad stewards of the little fame God brought along their path. They wouldn’t just spare any unsuspecting poor girl who consciously or unconsciously cross their path. Yet they argue that their inability to put a stop to that sinful lifestyle is a result of their fame or popularity and not their fault. What they forget is that Abraham through to the Prophets right down to the Apostles of Christ and the Pauls and Timothys that followed were all people who glorified God with their wealth, fame and brilliance in their respective fields of endeavour.

When Samson a Nazarite by birth, began loving strange women, I am sure he thought it was normal and some of the freebies associated with famous and celebrated men. More so when his strength and anointing were always evident at all times of his choosing. Little did he know that he’d begun shaking the foundation of the source of his sustenance. He first loved the Timnite (Judges 14:1-6) who tricked him first to get classified information from him, then he took a harlot and was nearly locked up in the city (16:1-2). In verse (3), he got away with that one too. Then in the verse (4) he loved another woman called Delilah who finally brought his downfall. Entertaining any “Delilah” amounts to playing romance with your life. Be sure that the graveyard has wide opened her mouth awaiting you. If you don’t repent from following and loving women and you finally meet the Delilah of your life, you’ll behave like a hypnotised man entertaining and answering questions as to how best you can easily be killed.

Mr “Christian” womaniser, you’re probably at your yield or breaking point. If you don’t stop and repent, “Delilah”, the destroyer and killer of dreams is already at your doorstep. Blessed are those who can sense her subtle footsteps and shut the door at her. The “Philistine” women (ie. girlfriends) only come around to fetch for the source of your strength and under all sorts of influence reduce you to an ordinary man for your destruction. So, be alert and don’t lose your guard.

  • Economic challenges and scholarship from some women: Some wealthy women for reasons best known to them at times offer juicy financial packages to some men as long as they accept to keep an amorous relationship with them. Men usually refer to this as having been given a scholarship by a lady or keeping a “sugar” mummy. Hardships and Economic challenges are real in our world today. It is, therefore, not unusual to chance upon unemployed or financially handicapped Christian men seeking one help or the other. Patronizing the services of a “sugar” mummy for economic reasons is a deliberate decision made by a man to reap where he has not sown. The prescribed mode for making earns meet from Adam to today is trusting God to bless the work of one’s hands and not picketing around wealthy women and doing their bidding. As discussed earlier, Joseph turned down Mrs Potiphar’s scholarship even though that could have earned him some additional income and succulent meals with better care but still as a slave in Potiphar’s house. In the end, however, Joseph was crowned the second in command only to Pharaoh in the whole Land of Egypt. “So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word, no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.” Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt (Genesis 41:41-45). Can you for a moment imagine where Mrs Potiphar would be standing during the above colourful coronation of Prime Minister Joseph Zaphenath-Paneah? When children of God reject scholarships and juicy offers to sin, God doesn’t just promote them, He lifts them to unimaginable heights to His glory. My honourable gentleman, your future is brighter and more glorious than that of the lady offering you that scholarship or Economic bailout.  The real content of their scholarship package can be found in  Proverbs 2:19. It reads, “ Surely her house leads down to death and her path to the spirits of the dead. None who go to her return or attain the paths of life. So, Apostle Paul was right when he exclaimed in Romans 8:35 saying, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No Bible-believing Christian, therefore, has any excuse to apply and accept a scholarship from a woman to sin.
  • Provocative dressing by ladies of today: I have also heard some Christians blaming provocative attires some women wear for their instability and loss of balance in the faith. They opined that until the Christian fraternity and leadership speak against and weed out provocative dressing by ladies, it would be difficult for them to also turn a blind eye to them. Even in the Bible days, there were the phenomena of provocative dressing by some women (Proverbs 7:10). Provocative dressing, therefore, is never a thing of today and is neither going to cease tomorrow. Why and how must one tie the joy of serving his God to the way and manner another person decides to dress from her cottage? And even if that lady is indeed offering “something” for sale or is determined to cause chaos to her male onlookers, has she called you? Is that not why Jesus said He would not leave us alone but send us the comforter in the person of the Holy Spirit which He did? Besides leading us unto all truths, the Holy Spirit is also in us as believers to provoke us unto good works anytime we find ourselves in an environment polluted and radiating lustful thoughts. No one can run away from the incidences of provocative dressing because if you manage to out-rule it in your household, you will meet it at your workplace or the marketplace. You will not be done yet if you scale through that as well because you may meet one head-on in your church or fellowship gatherings. Knowing very well we do not control what others decide to put on, Jesus said in Matthew 5:28, “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Even before the advent of Christ, Job proved that men could exercise self-control no matter the level of provocative outfits they chance upon. According to Job 31:1, Job, during his lifetime, made a covenant with his eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. Have you also made that resolution? It is worth noting that Job wasn’t a Prophet or Priest, he was only a wealthy upright child of God. There is, therefore, no justification for following women whose outfit appears inviting.
  • Acceptance as one’s weakness or shortcoming: Others see womanizing as their weakness and have thus, accepted to manage and live with it till thy Kingdom comes. King David expressed his utter disgust and regret in the few outlined sins he fell into when God reprimanded him through the Prophets. On most occasions, he used phrases such as, “I have acted foolishly”  and not “I have fallen into my shortcoming” when he was confronted. On one of those occasions, he told God in 1 Chronicles 21:8, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.” That is what repentance is all about. King Saul on the other hand would reply to Prophet Samuel, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD’s favor. So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” (1 Samuel 13:11-12). That probably made the difference between King David and his onetime Boss, King Saul who will give excuses for his inactions anytime he was reprimanded by Samuel. Salvation indeed begins with repentance from dead works with all of its inherent weaknesses. The good news is that the resurrection power living in believers neither knows nor accepts weaknesses of any kind. After accepting Christ, one is empowered by the Holy Spirit to put aside entirely the Adamic nature and showcase the victory of Christ over the weaknesses of the old self. The acceptance of womanizing as a weakness to live with is like accepting the practice of serving other gods as one’s shortcomings after surrendering to Christ. If the latter is to be outrightly frowned upon as alien to the faith, then the former is equally reprehensible and unacceptable. Moreover, a person born of God cannot say practising sin is his weakness (1 John 5:18). The Lord Jesus outlined the shortcomings of five out of the seven churches for them to repent from them so they are not disappointed on the last day. Weaknesses are, therefore, supposed to be worked upon with all seriousness and not nursed to live with. Admitting womanizing as a weakness is, therefore, problematic and inconsistent with the Spirit of Grace. It is, therefore, not a light thing to view it as a weakness, shortcoming or inaction.
  • The Loss of sexual appeal with one’s partner (i.e the married men): Then comes that societal and culturally accepted norm that men were programmed to have multiple sexual partners. Unfortunately, most women have been made to accept this blatant lie by the devil who was nowhere close when God was forming Adam. Per His design, God the creator of man has said unequivocally in several passages both in plain words and in Proverbs that one woman is more than enough to suffice all the physiological needs of all men who choose to marry. In Mark 10:6, He said, “In the beginning, God made them male and female (i.e one male to one female). And in Proverbs 5:15, He said, “Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.”. It stands to reason that if your wife isn’t enough for you, then any other addition won’t fill that self-inflicted vacuum you have created and continually nurtured. King Solomon would testify after all the multiple wives and concubines that it is all vanity and a complete miserable assignment to undertake during one’s lifetime. It is sheer lust which is a fruit of the flesh and not a malignant tumour attached to the unmarried. Marriage can, therefore, not be a vaccine or antidote for those burning with lust. Christian married men still following other women must, therefore, deal decisively with the problem of lust and stop disturbing their partners with weight, body, colour, education, hairstyles and all sorts of enhancements kits. The fundamental problem is you and not your wife. So, fix it before it’s too late.
  • Misinterpretation of the doctrine of God’s mercies, Love and Grace: God is undoubtedly merciful, Love and full of Grace. Indeed, Psalm 136 says His mercies endure forever. It is for this reason that while we were yet sinners Christ still came to die for us (Romans 5:8). Some believers have, therefore, overstretched this attribute of God to mean He countenances sinful lifestyles by His born-again children. God is seen by them as an old and weak bearded old man who’s always standing and waiting for them to come and confess their willful and carefully planned sins so He forgives them. If not so, how can a Bible-believing child of God break loose sleeping with women all around just because of His abundant grace through Christ Jesus? Is it not strange that even at the point of confessing to God an act of fornication, there is a newly spotted unsuspecting victim on their radar being worked upon? To them, God’s forgiveness is just a confession with the mouth away. I am afraid that cannot be genuine repentance that attracts God’s mercies. It is just an exploitation of a defective understanding of the mystery of Grace and God’s love under the guise of the depraved nature of humankind. A Christian cannot carefully plan ahead of time to meet ladies he is not married to at certain joints to sleep with the hope of being forgiven by God as often as requested. Ironically, the same Grace they claim to be subscribing to is what teaches us to say no to womanizing (Titus 2:11-14). So, one wonders the kind of Grace they mostly refer to. Besides, Hebrews 10:26 says, “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.”

From the above discussion, there can be no Biblical, Spiritual, Socio-Economical or Physiological merit in the venture of womanizing. You will also realize from the above graphical illustrations that unlike most phenomena of life with cost-benefit analysis, with womanizing, all the prospective benefits are actually disguised costs. It is therefore a loose-loose venture with virtually nothing to pick back even if you are fortunate to come out of it. God was therefore spot on when he said we should flee it (1 Corinthians 6:18). With all the enumerated ever-increasing cost of womanizing, one wonders why some Christian men are still in it and others also lacing their boots to walk that lane full of misery. If it is the exaggerated and over-hyped prospect of orgasmic pleasure, then the end excitement doesn’t compare in any way to the misery associated with it. It is, therefore, a raw and bad deal not worth giving even the slightest thought. It is a highly avoidable luggage every believer must offload at the very onset of their pilgrimage with the Lord and is the reason I referred to it as self-inflicted in the title of the article.

At this juncture, I would implore and plead with all who are into womanizing to make a firm decision to cease fire and turn a new page in your lives so that every damaged relationship with Christ could be restored. If you have also just been initiated into that “cult”, please lay all your tools and gadgets down and run for your life. Concerning such admonishing, Moses said in Deuteronomy 32:47, “They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By then, you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” Thank God for all who have freed yourselves from that yoke and all who haven’t had a foretaste of the venom of womanizing, especially our upcoming teenagers. I suggest you feed and soak your spirit with God’s word, meditating upon it day and night whether married or unmarried and you’ll be fine. Lift your prayer life to another level as well my brother because the devil is always on the lookout to devour and destroy precious lives (1 Peter 5:8). To those who spend a disproportionate amount of time on social media compared to your devotion lives, be mindful of the recruits the enemy has unleashed unto all the handles. To the married, I agree with Proverbs 5:18, when he said, let the wife of your youth satisfy you. To the unmarried Christian, I entreat you with all of God’s mercies to take inspiration from the life of Joseph and trust God in your chastity and purity. The one who glorified Joseph and gave him his own wife in His own time would do the same for you. He is a faithful God.

I believe I can safely conclude that there can be nothing as being a “Christian” womanizer because fornicators are packaged together with sorcerers who will suffer eternally in the lake of fire (Revelations 21:8). Stay blessed.

Written by Pastor James Agyin (j.orhinagyin20@icloud.com)

Youth Director Pays Working Visit To Mampong Area

The Director of the Youth Ministry of The Church of Pentecost, Pastor Ebenezer Hagan, has paid a three-day working visit to the Mampong Area of the Church in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

The visit, which commenced on Friday, August 26, 2022 with a Ministers and Wives’ session at the Mary Afia Amaniampong Temple (MAAT) in the morning, was followed with a session with youth workers and youth members in the Agona and Mampong zones of the area later in the evening.

Addressing the gathering on the topic, “We Can Stand,” the Youth Director challenged the youth to lead a victorious Christian life by standing against sin and the deceit (schemes) of the devil aimed at destroying their faith in Christ Jesus.

Quoting Colossians 2:4 & 8, he urged the participants to be vigilant and grounded in Christ in order to withstand the deceit of the evil one.

According to him, the devil could use anyone to tempt the believer; and when they fall for it, he (devil) will enslave them. 

In contemporary times, he further stated, the devil is deceiving humanity through worldly philosophies (worldviews) and superstitious beliefs.

Reading from Romans 14:4 and Colossians 2:16-18, Pastor Hagan urged the youth not to fail their generation, but to do whatever it takes to stand for the Lord no matter how hard the storms of life may rage

He indicated that God has made available for them the needed strength and power to overcome the devil and his cohorts in the Holy Spirit. He further explained that, despite the power of sin, God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, has given humanity power to overcome it. 

“Jesus Christ died to sin and ended its power over us once and for all. Through His death, we have our victory over sin,” he said.

To be able to stand and be well grounded in Christ, the Youth Director advanced the youth to  constantly seek the infilling of the Holy Ghost, take daily devotions seriously, and be actively involved in Church and youth activities. 

He also charged them to do their best not to give their body to sin nor allow the negative aspects of social media to have an adverse impact on their Christian life.

After the sermon, the Mampong Area Head, Apostle Samuel Kwabena Asare, advised the youth to hold on to the message received as he led the house in a time of intense prayers. The prayer session resulted in 57 participants receiving Holy Spirit baptism.

Present at the event were Mrs. Beatrice Asare (Wife of the Area Head), Mrs. Priscilla Hagan (Wife of the Youth Director), ministers of the Church within the Agona and Mampong zones and spouses, the leadership of the Area Women’s Ministry. 

The Youth Director also fellowshipped with PENSA AMUSTED and the Ejura Zone on Saturday, August 27, before drawing the curtains down on his visit on Sunday, August 28, 2022.

Report by Mampong Area Media Desk.