By divine orchestration, the theme for the month of October 2019; “Double Honour” speaks a new reality not only to all Fountaineers, but to the nation as it marked its 59th Independence on the 1st of October.
Taking his opening context from 2 Corinthians 5:17, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, at the October Anointing Service, noted that this scripture defines what it means to phase into a new reality. Substantiating this, he said from the moment we meet with Christ we come into this fullness and our knowledge of this truth makes us live a different and fulfilling life.
Shedding light on the theme scripture for the month which is taken from Isaiah 61:6-7, Pastor Taiwo noted that the use of the words “shame” and “honour” in the first line of the theme scripture revealed the two conditions men are faced with in life. He added that it is impossible to isolate the former from the latter as both words speak of a person’s reputation. “Christ, has lived on both ends”, he said. Recounting the incident at the Garden of Eden, Pastor Taiwo hinted that shame made Adam and Eve run from God’s presence. He added that though shame will always strip man of his confidence, God came to redeem man from that shame. Depicting sin as one of the causes of shame, which he said can either be inadvertent or deliberate, he stated that sin will always result in guilt and when guilt can no longer be covered and shame becomes evident, men become suicidal. “Shame remains the devil’s tool, but whoever the Son has set free, is free indeed”, he added.
Citing the stories of Jesus and Joseph, Pastor Taiwo stated that shame might not sometimes be self-inflicted, but can be created by men full of envy. He admonished that irrespective of the scenarios of shame, our focus should always be on Jesus. Guiding his listeners on how best to avoid shame, Pastor Taiwo made clear that though God will always use men as a channel in our lives, our focus should not be on men but God who is our source.
In concluding his charge, Pastor Taiwo explained that the true acid test of God speaking to us as believers is that it must align with His Word. He noted that our lives will experience new realities when we listen to His word and by listening and obeying, we can never be rejected by men. He made a clarion call to the body of Christ to teach believers more on knowing their identity in Christ instead of the feel-good messages that focus on the benefits He has to offer. “When we get benefit and reward without Christ, we tend to be boastful and prideful but when received in Christ, it becomes an effective tool for service,” he concluded. Pastor Taiwo rounded off the service with prophetic declarations.
Reported by Bola Odude
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