THE HAND OF GOD IN OUR LIVES

After a time of powerful praise and worship ushering the congregation into the presence of God, Wise Man Racine came forward to preach a message titled, ‘A Life On Purpose’. In his words, the plan of God for us is beautiful. However, human beings long for eternity in ignorance of what God has done. God allows everything to take place at its appointed time and season.

People change the course of their destiny because of impatience or inability to see beyond the present. Blessing, he elaborated, is not an end in itself but a means to an end. Beyond the present situation, there is a purpose.  The wise man picked Ephesians 1:11 as his proof text. We are created for the glory of God. It is God’s purpose for your life that determines the cause and course of your life, he said. Nothing happens for nothing. There is an unseen hand in the life of every human being. The unseen hand is God’s plan for our lives. Time and opportunity act on us all. You are whom you are by His grace. We all work hard for a breakthrough but in some cases there may be no proportionate reward. The fast runner does not always win the race. The brave do not always win the battle either. Wisdom does not guaranty success in life. God, he maintained, wants us to succeed with a purpose. Narrow, according to him, is the way that leads to life, buttressing his point in close reference to Matthew 7:13.

In many cases, we don’t always have it the way we expect it, in spite of our seemingly error-proof plans. When we are frustrated, then we are ready to submit to providence. Man proposes; God disposes. It is the goodness of our cause that interests God Almighty more than our physical or mental disposition. It is your responsibility to find out God’s purpose for your life.

There are unchangeable events in the course of our destiny. Ordinary events may have extraordinary effects in the spirit. When God unravels His plans in our lives, He designs events that cannot be changed. If Joseph had not been thrown into prison, he would not have had link with the throne. If Peter had had a good catch, he would have left before Christ came and that would have changed the course of his life. The wise man aptly advised his listeners to look beyond their situations, as God is fully aware. When it is time for God to manifest His purpose in your life, there will be a driving force that will change your actions and location. There is breakthrough in hardship, if Jesus is involved, the wise man advised, adding that to live life to the fullest, your goal must reflect your purpose.

If we sang the song of praise more and talked less, the world would be more heavenly, Prophet T. B. Joshua said after the choir had led the congregation in worship following Wise Man Racine’s insightful message.  In relation to John 4: 1-17 which he drew the attention of the congregation to, he dwelt on faith as the transformative power of the universe; the power of change from darkness to light. A change from sickness to health; a change from yoke to deliverance; a change from weakness to strength; a change from a faithless to a faithful generation and a change from poverty to blessing are only possible with the transformative power of faith.

The Samaritan woman at the well confirmed Jesus’ statement that she had had five marriages and Jesus pointed her to her future. You may not have believed a vision given to you, the prophet said, because it overwhelmed you beyond imagination but no matter the circumstance, with God all things are possible.  The prophet urged every one of his listeners to be a tomorrow thinker. When Jesus becomes your coach, he said, you will be asked to see what is not yet seen, to do what is not yet done and to say what is not yet said.

Until you experience Jesus, there will be dissatisfaction in your life. There will be a sense of hunger to know what life is all about and a desire to know what happens after life is over.

When you have exhausted your mental and emotional resources, you can no longer rely on yourself. You simply need to trust something or someone stronger or smarter than yourself. Jesus, who can raise the dead, is our choice. Don’t listen to temptation to act out of character or react badly to the emotional weight you are experiencing.  Jesus loves you just as He loves any of His apostles, the prophet reminded the congregation.

MIRACULOUS DELIVERY
At the instance of the prophet, some prophecies of the previous Sunday service were shown on video. The first clip displayed the Wise Man as he addressed a pastor and his wife on the gallery. Coming down from the gallery accompanied by his wife as instructed by the wise man, Pastor Samuel Eromosele was warned not to allow his wife to attempt another operation after the previous operation. The Lord will deliver her in Jesus’ name, Amen, the wise man ended his prophecy with a prayer.  Emerging from the congregation to confirm the prophecy at the end of the clip, Pastor Lorena of Treasure Land Christian Centre, Benin- city narrated how for six days she was in labour and went from hospital to hospital without being able to deliver. She was told that the head of the baby was resting on the stitch of the previous operation, making natural delivery impossible, unless she submitted herself for another operation.  Shunning that suggestion in line with the wise man’s prophecy, Pastor Lorena rushed to The SCOAN to seek the face of God. Wise Man Christopher rushed in to pray for Pastor Lorena. As the prayer was being said, Pastor Lorena, already weak from six days of labour, gained energy and stamina from heaven and with one decisive push the baby came out. A very lively baby was born without an operation.  Thank You, Jesus Christ!

In his testimony, Pastor Samuel Eromosele revealed his vision and added that the doctor who prescribed operation as the only way out shouted, ‘Praise the Lord!’ when he was told that she delivered in The SCOAN safely without an operation.

PROPHECY REVEALS LOVE CHARM
Another clip showed the prophet issuing a message of prophecy to a young man and telling him that he had a charm in his clothing which he recovered from his partner.  At the instance of the prophet, the young man came out and confirmed the prophecy that he recovered a charm from his loved one.  Coming down from the gallery at the mention of her name, Faith admitted that the charm was given to her without asking by her elder brother’s wife, who advised her to use it on her private parts when the couple met.  Answering a question by the prophet, the young man confessed that since then his affection for her had disappeared. After their deliverance, the man of God promised to tell them whether their relationship was from Heaven.

Mounting the platform the following Sunday, the young man by name Confidence Okonkwo, his wife and his brother in-law and one other family member were out to give additional evidence. Mr Isaac, the brother in-law, expressed shock at the revelation and added that he accosted his wife immediately about the issue to which she confessed to giving her a charm in the form of soap.  He ended his story by appealing to the man of God to deliver them as that was the plan of the enemy to scatter their families. Commending Confidence Okonkwo for his wisdom for coming to the church to unravel the issue, the prophet remarked that most young men would have ended the relationship there and then. He reassured him that the current problem was meant to pave way for a better future for their marriage.

THE REAL VALUE OF MARRIAGE
The next video clip was the voice of Prophet T. B. Joshua, unable to hide his compassion, as he prophesied to a young man, who had married and remarried three times.  The latest in the series of wives committed an abomination, causing crises in his current marriage.  She had an intimate relationship with her ex-boyfriend after only two weeks of their marriage.  In his clarification, Hon. Elaye Efezimo of Delta, Nigeria said before their marriage, they cohabited for a while and he travelled to his work place after their marriage, where he received a text message from his wife in which she asked him whether he could stand by her if there was anything.  At the response of, ‘Yes’ from her husband, Emily mustered the boldness to mouth the abomination to her husband that her ex-boy friend slept with her in a hotel. The prophet explained that the plan of the devil was for him to marry and remarry as his real value had been taken away. Delivered, the prophet said, Hon. Efezimo would know his true value.

Following that, he requested to see his family, telling the wife that her deliverance would be later. Mounting the platform the following Sunday as requested by the prophet, Hon Efezimo with his wife and their mothers expressed readiness to revisit the issue. The wife narrated that sixteen days after their marriage, she met her ex-boyfriend in a hotel. After her confession, the prophet advised her and her mother to have a heart to heart discussion as it appeared she did not know what marriage is all about, making her treat her own with sacrilege. She was also advised to go to prayer line for deliverance. In the resumed meeting, the prophet declared her free after receiving prayer at the prayer line, delivered from the contrary spirits that had been driving her life and making her misbehave. Asking their parents to leave them alone, the prophet told them to re-examine the basis of their continued relationship in their new spiritual standing. As they were not immediately able to make up their minds as to what to do with each other, the prophet asked them to go back to the drawing board and seek the face of God.

ANOINTING WATER USHERS LAWYER TO S.A.N.
Jude Ositadinma Esq. mounted the platform to thank God for graciously elevating him to the position of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a rank which is very much revered, not only in Nigeria but also in all the Commonwealth countries. He had all along been discouraged from applying for the post because of the bad experiences of his friends who had been applying since 1998 and before. In his case,  Ositadinma Esq. received the Anointing Water from The SCOAN and sprayed it on his papers before submitting them for assessment. He was also advised by the man of God to pray, fast and commit the situation into the hands of God. He left the church for the interview and, according to him, it later turned to be a mere friendly discussion.  As expected, he was honoured with the title in a letter to that effect, dated 7^th July 2011 and to the glory of God, it was backdated to 2010. Today, Jude Ositadinma Esq., by the new achievement, occupies the highest position any lawyer in the Commonwealth can aspire to, a position he reached only by the first application. We thank God for him and we are reassured that when the Lord is involved in your matter, it does not matter who else is involved.

SAFE DELIVERY IN JESUS’ NAME
After a video had introduced the case of Mrs  Ruth Uangbaoje of Edo, Nigeria, she came to the platform for the details of her testimony.  She had been unable to deliver her baby, according to her, because of a narrow cervix. Her doctor had told her that she would only deliver by operation.  Recalling that she had her first and second babies by operation, she decided to seek the face of God in The SCOAN as a lover of Emmanuel TV where she had watched many miracles. In The SCOAN, Wise Man Racine prayed for her in the prayer line. Leaving the church, she decided to go to her mother at Lekki, Lagos. There, she delivered her baby safely at home without an operation. In conclusion, she advised her listeners and the world to go to God who has all the power to heal and with whom everything is possible.

TWINS RESCUED FROM ABANDONMENT TO FORMAL EDUCATION
A woman, Felicia Alaba and her twin sons, Kenneth and Daniel came forward to unveil their plight, particularly of the eighteen-year-old twins, who had been denied not only parental care and love but even knowledge of their father, said to be a citizen of the UK. According to one of the twins, they were relocated from the UK to Nigeria at six months of age, since which time they had not set eyes on their father. Their mother, who became too poor to care for them, entrusted them to a friend in Lagos with whom they lived for two years.  Unable to cope any further, the friend folded her arms and asked the twins to fend for themselves. Since January this year, according to them, they had been denied of a roof over their heads making them sleep outside and anywhere with one eye opened for their safety. They made their living by dancing in the day and taking refuge anywhere at night till the following morning. In her story, their mother informed her listeners that she met their father in Nigeria where they married before both of them left for the United Kingdom. In the UK, their relationship was characterized by petty quarrels and fighting. Felicia decided to come back to Nigeria where she faced hardship, sickness and abject poverty. After a few probing questions, the prophet offered them a scholarship to resume their education. He however, bemoaned their upbringing which had exposed them to the negative sides of life and said something could be done urgently in that regard.

We thank God for His amazing grace and His wonders that we see happening every week at The SCOAN. It is all about Jesus Christ!