The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has called on Christians to continuously engage in the act of prayer since it has the potency to change situations and circumstances.
He said this in a live televised sermon on Pent TV, the official television station of the church, during a Special Evening Service held on Sunday, March 29, 2020.
Speaking on the topic, "The Relevance Of Prayer," he underscored that prayer is relevant in all situations.
According to the Chairman, prayer is one of the most central activities of religious life and central to religious activities. He, however, expressed concern about the fact that prayer is under attack because the world today does not appreciate prayer.
"People think that prayer is an irrational activity. This is because philosophy deals with mind trying to uncover the truth through reasoning. However, religion receives truth from the deity so people who reason with the mind cannot understand why we are receiving God from without questioning," he deplored.
Reading from Luke 11:1, 5:15-16, 6:12, Mark 1:35, Luke 21:34-36, among other texts, Chairman Nyamekye emphasized that Jesus Christ lived prayerful life whilst on earth, saying, "Jesus was and is still a prayer warrior because He is at the right hand of God interceding for believers."
As a prayer warrior, Apostle Nyamekye explained that Jesus did not just teach His disciples how to pray but how to engage in the act of prayer as well.
He stated: "If Jesus, who is God, could pray like this, then men ought to pray as well because there is something in prayer." He, therefore, called on Christians to pray without ceasing.
The Chairman defined prayer as communication of a worshipper or supplicant with his or her deity.
Making reference to a quote by Origen, an Egyptian theologian, who once said: "If everything happens in accordance with the will of God and His decrees stand fast and nothing of what He wills can be reversed, then prayer is absurd," the Chairman explained that, "It is true that the decree of God stands, however, it is also true that the prayer of the saint can cause God to review what He had decreed."
To buttress his assertion, Apostle Nyamekye cited an instance in Isaiah 38:1-8, when King Hezekiah, on his sickbed, prayed fervently to God and had his life prolonged by fifteen years after God Himself, through Prophet Isaiah had told him to put his house in order because he was going to die and would not recover.
Chairman Nyamekye expounded that, though God decreed and someone also prayed and God changed His mind, averring that, "prayer is that kind of weapon that changes God's mind and it can always make the difference."
He further stated that prayer changes the immutable laws, seasons and time and it can also do the impossible and unthinkable (Joshua 10:12-14, 1 Kings 17:1, 18:1, James 5:17-18, Acts 12:1ff). He added that when Christians pray something happens.
Touching on contemporary and scientific worldviews that refute the existence of God and His relationship with mankind, the Chairman read Daniel 4:20-26 and refuted those claims and theories, emphasizing that, "God, the Most High, still rules the kingdom of mankind and mankind cannot live independent of Him."
Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye concluded by urging Christians to pray because prayer is very relevant in the life of the believer.
"The value of prayer none can measure. Prayer was relevant then and now it is relevant. I want to call the Church to prayer and to pray fervently in these times as never before. Where now are the Elijahs of God? May men of prayer arise, may women of prayer arise. We have to pray as individuals; we have to pray as family, we have to pray as Ghanaians, we have to pray as Christians, we have to pray as Church because prayer works and prayer is relevant."
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Exodus 32: 14. And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. - KJV What "repent" mean here? It means He changed His mind. Please let's be simple in handling scripture.
YOU ARGUE THAT IF THERE WERE FIVE RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE IN SODOM AND GOMORRAH GOD WOULD HAVE SPARED THE PLACE. THE FACT IS THAT THERE WERE NOT FIVE RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE IN THE CITY SO GOD DID NOT SPARE THE CITY.ABRAHAM PRAYED YET NOTHING IN THE PLAN TO DESTROY SODOM AND GOMORRAH WAS CHANGED. GOD DID NOT CHANGE HIS MIND.WHY SHOULD HE STOP AT FIVE AND NOT THREE WHICH WAS AVAILABLE, LOT AND HIS TWO DAUGHTER? THE DETAILS IS MEANT TO SHOW THE PROFOUND LEVEL OF EVIL IN SODOM AND GOMORRAH THAT EXISTED TO CAUSE THE DESTRUCTION.
@all. Please consider these. Car aeroplane telephones ship medicine architecture balance diet clothes etc. God never called any of above disciplines inventors into room and teach them the formula to produce them. He has given human all the solutions to any challenge he may confront with. That is science. In all, our responsibility now is to say thank to God for given us the opportunity as humans on earth. And we do this in dignity respect and decorum
God Almighty Himself engages man in reasoning. He says “come let’s reason together, even when your sins are as scarlet I will wash it to be as white as snow “. 2. “ if we confess our sins, He’s Faithful and Just to forgive....” my brothers , pls He’s mercies are new every morning and great is He’s Faithfulness. Such deep into the Faithfulness of God. A faithful and genuine Prayer of the righteous “ changes “ God’s mind . Abraham’s interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah. If only 5 people have repented, God Almighty would have speared them.
OSOFO WATIE. GOD NEVER CHANGES. HE IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW. Heb. 13:8. GOD NEVER MAKES MISTAKE. HE WORKS ACCORDING TO HIS OWN AGENDA.HE DOES NOT RUSH TO DO ANYTHING TO BE WRONG. 100 YEARS IS LIKE A DAY, YESTERDAY, FOR HIM PSALM 90:4. HE CANNOT BE FORCED TO DO ANYTHING AGAINST HIS WILL AND AGENDA, SO HE DOES NOT NEED TO CHANGE HIS MIND. ALL THE STATEMENTS IN SCRIPTURES THAT SUGGEST GOD TO CHANGE HIS MIND ARE SIMPLY WRONG DESCRIPTION OF HUMAN UNDERSTANDING OF THE MIND AND ACTIONS OF GOD. WE PRESENT GOD IN THE LIMITATION OF HUMAN UNDERSTANDING. IT IS BECAUSE OF SUCH WRONG OPINION OF GOD THAT SOME CHRISTIANS PRAY TO GOD SHOUTING, SHAKING BODY, FALLING DOWN, ROLLING OVER AND ACTING ABNORMALLY. THEY DO JUST LIKE WORSHIPERS OF BAAL WHOM ELIJAH TEASED TO CUT THEIR BODIES TO BLEED, 1 KINGS 18:28. ANY PERSON WHO RIGHTLY UNDERSTANDS GOD SPEAK TO HIM WITH RESPECT, DIGNITY AND DECORUM, JUST LIKE WE DO TO COMMUNICATE TO ANY PERSON WE HOLD IN HIGH HONOR. WHEN WE PRAY TO GOD IT ENABLES US TO SUBMIT OURSELVES TO HIM AND CONFORM OUR WILL TO HIS WILL. WE FIND SOLACE IN PRAYER WHEN IT ENABLES US TO ADJUST OUR LIVES AND EMOTIONS TO AGREE TO THE WILL OF GOD. PRAYER DOES NOT CAUSE GOD TO CHANGE, RATHER IT CHANGES US TO ACCEPT THE PLAN OF GOD FOR OUR LIVES. “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass over me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Mat 29:36 POP
Kwaku if prayer doesn't change anything including God's mind then what does it do? Please read Isaiah 38:5; Exodus 32:9-15.
Osofo, God does what HE wants!!! No ONE can change God's MIND including YOU!!!