The Executive of the Lagos State Chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship
of Nigeria on Tuesday November 28 ended its monthly meeting in the
year with a thanksgiving service at the Foursquare Church, Alaka where
members came to thank God and share testimonies of God’s goodness and
his incredible intervention in their lives in the outgoing year.
The event was also graced by the Presiding Archbishop of Elshaddai
Bible Church and former Chairman of the Lagos PFN, Archbishop
Olanrewaju Obembe who told the jubilant members that God had decided
to reserve the best for the last to glorify Himself and put to silence
the taunting of the enemy.
The ceremony which started at about 12 noon was chaired by the Vice
Chairman of the body, Apostle Eyinnaya Okwuonu who stood in for the
chairman. Bishop Sola Ore who had led a delegation of pilgrims to
Israel.
Okwuonu who chronicled the various activities of the PFN noted that
the year 2017 was perhaps the busiest year in the history of the body.
He said “this year alone the Lord used the Lagos PFN to execute many
crusades organized by international speakers including Morris Cerullo
and Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke. We were also able to host the
President of the PFN Rev Felix Omobude while also embarking on various
trainings and humanitarian gestures to the entire body. We were able
to carry health checks for members and also introduced programmes that
have been a great blessing for the entire body of Christ in Lagos.
The hallmark of the ceremony, which was hosted by the Women Wing of
the body was the amazing testimonies shared by members; chief of which
was the incredible healing experienced by the Chairman of the Alimosho
Chapter of the body, Apostle Ralph Olorunmaye; who testified how God
healed him of Prostate enlargement at the point of being operated upon
at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital.
He told the bewildered members the pain he went through for close to
two months when the ailment manifested in his body noting that an
unseen hand of God operated on him in a vision. “I just noticed that
I could not urinate and I thought it was a joke until the situation
persisted for days. I travelled on missions to nearby Cotonou but
could not preach at the station when the problem persisted. I was
hospitalized and treated in their hospital nothing happened. This
went on for days until I had to come back to Nigeria visited the
hospital and I was told I had prostate enlargement. The doctors tried
all they could to no avail. I was referred to the teaching hospital
where I was booked for operation. I was already on admission and they
had trapped catheter on me to aid urination pending the time the
operation would be carried out”
In the course of waiting for the operation he said a brother advised
that he use a natural medicine instead of being operated upon. “The
brother brought the drug and I starting using it while waiting for the
operation. Just as I began using the drug I saw myself in a revelation
where I was miraculously being operated upon by divine hand. I saw
that I was healed in that revelation. When I came out of the
revelation I pleaded with the hospital to remove the robber attached
to my body to aid urination in preparation for the operation telling
them I had been healed. They refused saying I would be risking my life
by removing the catheter. I discharged myself when they were adamant
and went to a private clinic where the stuff was removed after they
had given me stern conditions. By the time it was removed it was clear
that I had been miraculously healed. I have not had cause to do the
operation and God has perfected my urinary tract. I can now urinate
very well.”
The testimony which stirred a thunderous praise was followed by
reports of miraculous births recorded among the women wing. The leader
of the PFN Women Wing. Pastor Mrs. Glory Akbabio shared how some women
in the PFN. who had been waiting on God for the fruit of the womb for
over 30 years gave birth in the year.
She said, “We have every cause to thank God for his interventions in
the lives of our sisters in the course of the year. God was faithful
and has been good. Some of our women who had been trusting God for the
fruit of the womb for close to 30 years and above gave birth this
year. There were also testimonies of divine protection and provision
in the year. It can only be God” she said.
Several other testifiers including the Financial Secretary of the
body, Pastor Oluleke Akinola, the chairman of Badagry chapter, Rev.
Sunday Hunyibo, the welfare Secretary and Mrs. Akinyoade shared how
the Lord has been good in the outgoing year in a session which was
anchored by Rev Tunde Elebute.
In his sermon at the three-hour event, Archbishop Obembe described the
current leadership of the Lagos PFN as being very effective. “I see
that this leadership has been so effective and they have been able to
rally everybody together in the spirit of the unity of the faith. I
see a new dawn. I see that the Lord has been so gracious to the PFN in
Lagos. The leadership has been able to embrace the ecumenical spirit.”
While wondering why the church in the recent time had been bombarded
by negative press he said, “God has decided to crown this year with
goodness He has reserved the best for the last. In the programme of
God, he uses the weak things to confound the wise. Sometimes you
wonder why God used the Lamb to typify the Lord Jesus in the
redemption work, it is because he delights in using the weak things to
confound the wise. The lamb by nature is a weak animal. So, one
wonders why the Lord uses it to describe the Lord Jesus.”
He told the gathering that there is always a “when” in the life of a
child of God. “When the Lord turned the captivity of Zion we were like
them that dreamed. Joseph experienced one of the most incredible
transformation in human history. One moment he was in prison another
moment he was in the palace. His life is a testimony that should
challenge every believer that there is a when in our lives. We cannot
box God. He works in His own way. I can assure you that God will crown
this year with goodness for you. All the things that you have not been
able to achieve in the beginning of the year will happen for you as
the year ends.”
“He said, we are at the crowning point of the year. All those who have
mocked you will celebrate with you. Your “when” has come. There is a
‘when’ for every child of God. No matter what you have been through in
the year I say to you by the word of God that your ‘when’ has come.
The grace of God will always avail for us because without his grace we
cannot do anything meaningful. It is the grace of God that has kept us
till the point that we are in. The best of man is still man but God in
His mercy is taking us to a desired place of rest.”
He ended the sermon with prophetic prayers and impartation.
Indeed, the thanksgiving service was a time of refreshing and
assurance for executives of the Lagos chapter of the PFN. The event
witnessed the presence of past executive members and a host of other
church leaders.