General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye on Saturday December 14 took his congregation down memory lane telling them of the early years of the redemption camp and how God made the church survive those years.
It was the sixth day of the Holy Ghost Congress with the theme, Onward Christian Soldiers. The event which was monitored online by Church Times is expected to come to an end today December 15 with a thanksgiving service.
At the Saturday edition, Adeboye drew a parallel between the story of the camp and the movement of the children of Israeli to the promised land.
He noted that the Israelites were almost discouraged because of the negative report of 10 of the 12 spies about the land adding however that Joshua and Caleb inspired courage in them.
Recalling how God asked him to come to the camp, he said, ‘This place was just about two hectares of land where highway robbers made their base. I was just a little above 40 years when we came.’
According to him, not long after they came ro the camp they stumbled on spots where robbers dumped hundreds of suitcases, shoes and cloths of victims of armed robbers.
The place was also the land of snakes especially pythons.
He said almost every week huge reptiles were killed on the camp ground. He recalled how a snake was found right under the bed sheet of one of his children on camp.
He also recalled the story of a strange tree on the camp that had to be cut down to the surprise of villagers who thought those who cut the tree would die. Many years after nothing has happened to those who cut it.
While calling for respect for elders in the church, he said many of them toiled and laboured with him in the early years at the redemption camp.
He said, ‘ don’t look down on elders. They laboured with me when we had nothing. They fetched firewood for cooking, dug holes to get water to drink and laboured tirelessly. They have tried. ‘
He said further that the experience over years of the elders can’t be learned in a seminary insisting that the younger generat should show some respect for the elders no matter the knowledge they claim to have.
Making allusion to the statement of one of his children in faith who said he is a father in a million, Adeboye said. ‘ I say with all humility that there is no father like me. No father. I have many children. Mighty soldiers that are marching forward.
“Where else can you find a father in the world that has the kind of choir that we have. I am not a father in a million not even in a billion and you’re going to be greater than me.’
Building courage in his listeners he told them not to waste their youth saying ‘if the enemy can’t stop your father the same enemy can’t stop you. Let’s together take over the world for Christ.’
While stating there is no impossibility with God he said. ‘if God is on your side nothing can stop you. By strength shall no man prevail.’
