The Director of the School of Theology, Mission and Leadership (STML) at the Pentecost University, Apostle Dr. Emmanuel Kwesi Anim, has observed that the outbreak of COVID-19 has taught the world a lesson that it does not exist on its own.
“How many of us ever thought that nations like America, Germany, Britain, and the rest can go down on their knees just at the movement of a virus which has no face. What it means is that we are all at the mercy of God. It is the grace of God that sustains us but not the strength of our chariots and ammunitions or our power that we think of. All power rest with the Lord,” he said.
Apostle Dr Anim said this in a televised sermon on PENT TV on Sunday, May 31, 2020, on the topic: “Discerning The Times And The Seasons For Appropriate Response: Lessons From The Books Of 1 & 2 Chronicles And Also From The Tribe Of Issachar” – 1 Chronicles 12:23-32; Acts 2:1-31.
Explaining the texts, Apostle Dr Anim said that the Lord through His covenant with the people of Israel blessed them in all things. However, it came to a point that they became complacent as their leaders did evil things, and disregarded the commands of God. He said that although God used His prophets to warn them, they did not listen because they thought that their security lied on the fortified walls and the prosperity that they had.
Following their disobedience, he said, the people of Israel suffered an exile, especially in the hands of the Babylonians, where the last king, King Hezekiah was taken into exile with his eyes removed, while the city wall also came down and the temple destroyed.
He pointed out that the Israelites thought that the temple was the habitation of God, and if God was in the temple how come that the Ark was captured, thinking that God has abandoned them. This, he said, was as a result of sin.
“When we go our ways and despise the precepts and the laws of the Lord, He will just take a step out of our midst and disaster would strike,” he indicated.
He, however, assured the world that God has not abandoned them amid COVID-19, saying, “Indeed, God has never left us. The experience that we are going through today does not mean that God is not in our midst. He knows everything, but He wants us to learn some lessons.”
In learning some lessons from the happenings in the world, Apostle Dr Anim entreated Christians to be like the Tribe of Issachar who were able to discern the times and knew what Israel had to do at the time.
“So in moments like this, God is counting on His people – the Church, who would have the anointing of the sons of Issachar who can discern and interpret and understand the times and show the nation what we should do,” he stressed.
Apostle Dr Anim assured believers that God is still alive and His promises and covenant remain sure. He however called on Christians to change their attitude towards the application of the word of God, saying, “God requires obedience to His laws, commands and precepts. If you do so you will have good health and prosperity.
“So if Christians today want to function in the paradigm of the promises of God, we must know the terms of the promises and hold on to the covenant and do right so that we don’t go back to the abnormal situations we called normal times.”
He added: “These are the times where people of God have to stand up and be counted as salt and light to show the world the way. We must be the people that can discern the times and show the nation what it must do, for therein lies the purposes of God and His glory.”
Apostle Dr Emmanuel Anim advised believers to think Christlike since they are in Christ. “This is what we called Christianity. Christ is not a tribal God; if you are in Christ you must live a Christlike life,” he added.
“This is the time that the church of God must come out with a prophetic voice for society to know what to do. So we must behalf as children and people of God,” he stressed.
PENTECOST NEWS.