Speaking on the theme for the month, “Covenant Joy”, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya at the August Special Anointing Service started off his ministration on the lessons from the life of Queen Esther. He said, when the glory of God is upon a person, everything created will acknowledge it.
Taking his scripture reference from Esther 8:15-17, Psalm 126:1-2, James 1:1-3, Isaiah, 12:3, and 1Thess 5:16-20, Pastor Taiwo said, “As a covenant child of God, you are not alone; God is always with you. When it seems all impossible, He’ll raise a standard. On account of you, a whole law can be reversed”. But it takes a man to be convinced of his identity in Christ, he added.
“If you don’t know it or you know it and don’t believe it, it does not produce for you”, Pastor Taiwo emphasized.
Encouraging the congregation not to give up on God, he said when you are caged a way that you cannot understand, it is not a time to despair. Rejoice in the Lord, it will help you make the right decisions. Most times, he said, the decisions we make when in trouble (without joy) puts us in more trouble; it gives the devil an advantage over us. So, when in trouble, he admonished, count it all joy—you will outlive the situation, it will not last forever.
What then is Joy?
According to Pastor Taiwo, Joy is a Christian choice in any situation. Though Joy may make one look like a weakling, it is, in fact, a force. You want to see the Kingdom established in your life? Grab joy. This joy, he added, has a calming effect, it’s a stabilizer, it’s the road to “no lack”.
Joy is not an emotion. It is not determined by circumstances. It is an attitude, a Christian attitude. It is a fruit of the Spirit. If you are born again, then joy is born in your heart. Just let it out, he said.
In differentiating joy from happiness, Pastor Taiwo mentioned that happiness is a product of external factors; it is determined by people, events and places. No one is happy all the time. It is just that some are more content and more at peace with themselves than others.
Joy, on the other hand, is an internal conditioning. It expresses and manifests itself in many ways; encouraging people, singing and rejoicing, laughing, dancing, etc. “You will never win life’s battles with a sorrowful, fearful, or vengeful heart. You need joy to win the war in your marriage, to love and appreciate your spouse, to love and cherish the children the Lord has given you. With joy, you draw water from the well of salvation”, he said.
Pastor Taiwo further added that Joy attracts. He admonished believers not to chase away their destiny enhancers through sadness, bitterness, anger, or grief
Addressing the negative effects of anger, he said you will get old faster if you are angry every day;
“How long do you want to live when you are sad and angry with everybody? Be joyful! The joy of the Lord is your strength, it makes a merry heart. You want to attract the best of life into your life? Rejoice! When you rejoice over God’s blessings—your work, finances, family, spouse and children, there’ll be many more for you”, he said.
-Samuel Adu
