‘Christianity Not Convenient’ – Pastor Bisoye Okwoli

Pastor Bisoye Okwoli, while delivering her sermon titled, ‘Going deep with God’, during the Thursday Showers service of August 19, 2021, asserted that God is not a quick fix God, and Christianity is not an easy ride.

Pastor Bisoye further noted that God is not a ‘microwave pop-corn God’, nor is Christianity convenient. She also added that “God is not a means to an end, He wants us, He wants to be our life. So he is either Lord of it all or none of it.”

Taking her Bible reference from Luke 5, where Peter encountered Jesus, the clergy explained that God would intentionally create gaps in the lives of the worshippers to make room for Him; noting that Peter and his crew caught no fish despite their toil all night until they allowed Jesus into their boat.

According to Pastor Bisoye, “He creates the gap so that He can fill it. We are a generation that seeks our needs. If our wealth, intellect, connections, health were perfect, we wouldn’t need God.”

She also cited Lamentation 3:19-24 to state that there is always a purpose in whatever pain believers’ experience. She said, “God is keeping you alive for a purpose. There’s purpose in that pain. Till we stop seeing God as a means to an end, we’ll continue to have those gaps.

“When you go with God, all these things follow you. Usually, when we get what we want from God, we leave God, even when He’s asking to be with us. With God, you are connected to the source. He’s not the means to an end; rather, He is now your life. And if you acknowledge Him in all your ways, when you walk with Him, goodness, favour, and blessings are walking with you.”

The pastor added that God’s instructions would not always make sense, especially when He calls His children into the deep with Him. She also said that the devil would also fight them so as not to obey the divine invitation.

In her words, “You have to take a risk going into the deep. You can’t consult your emotions, past, pedigree or lineage. They have no part to play there. What you will need in the deep is the Word of God and obedience to it. The devil can’t hinder your ability to do miracles, he will rather fight your relationship with God, and once there’s separation from God, the blessings won’t follow.”

Pastor Bisoye Okwoli consequently urged believers not to ruin their appetite by fulfilling the desire of the flesh against having a concrete relationship with God.

“Don’t get filled up with cookies, which are the things of the world. When we are filled up with cookies, there’ll be no space for the real food, God. Don’t ruin your appetite. God is not a microwave pop-corn God. And our Christianity is not of convenience. It will be tough to obey God. When He’s asking you to go into the deep, He’s going to task you deeper and prune you,” she said.