By:       Godwin Godbuilt Igbava

INTRODUCTION

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Philippians 4:6 – Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Psalms 27:1, 7-8 – The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? ⁷ Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. ⁸ When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” II Chronicles 6:19-21, 24-36, 40 – ¹⁹ Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You: ²⁰ that Your eyes may be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your name, that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. ²¹ And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive. ²⁴ “Or if Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and return and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this temple, ²⁵ then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to them and their fathers. ²⁶ “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, ²⁷ then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance. ²⁸ “When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; ²⁹ whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows his own burden and his own grief, and spreads out his hands to this temple: ³⁰ then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men), ³¹ that they may fear You, to walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers. ³² “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for the sake of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this temple; ³³ then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name. ³⁴ “When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, ³⁵ then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. ³⁶ “When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to a land far or near; ⁴⁰ Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place.

Christians have been mandated to pray all the time and never to doubt when you pray even as you pray today – Luke 18:1 ¹ Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. Ephesians 6:18 ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

They are to give thanks in all things – I Thessalonians 5:18 ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Prayer means asking for a help for what you cannot do alone. We are compulsorily told to ask for that help without any restriction –  John 14:13-14 ¹³ And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 15:7 ⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. I John 5:14-15 ¹⁴ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

We are compulsorily admonished to show forth appreciation in everything that life holds, good or bad – Job 2:10 ¹⁰ But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. James 5:12 ¹² But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.

Thanksgiving is extolling God’s beauty, His awesomeness, His glory, His majesty, His love, His infinity. It is a state of nothingness but only God takes the praises and honour and glory – Exodus 15:1-14 ¹Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: “I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider, He has thrown into the sea! ² The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. ³ The Lord is a man of war; The Lord is His name. ⁴ Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. ⁵ The depths have covered them; they sank to the bottom like a stone. ⁶ “Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces. ⁷ And in the greatness of Your excellence, You have overthrown those who rose against You;

You sent forth Your wrath; It consumed them like stubble. ⁸ And with the blast of Your nostrils, the waters were gathered together; the floods stood upright like a heap; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea. ⁹ The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, My hand shall destroy them.’ ¹⁰ You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. ¹¹ “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? ¹² You stretched out Your right hand; the earth swallowed them. ¹³ You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength, to Your holy habitation. ¹⁴ “The people will hear and be afraid; sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia. 

THINK THIS

1. God’s Goodness

When? All the time! Therefore all time, is right to thank God. The world has been on lockdown since Covid-19. The church was also on lockdown for four (4) weeks but the word of God was not and cannot be locked down – amen!  Matthew 16:18b – ¹⁸ …and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Philippians 1:12-17 – ¹² But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, ¹³ so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; ¹⁴ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. ¹⁵ Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: ¹⁶ The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; ¹⁷ but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. II Corinthians 13:8 – ⁸ For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

The church was deprived of physical meeting together but spiritually still alive especially to them that love God. Hebrews 10:25 – ²⁵ not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. 1 Thessalonians 2:11-17 – ¹¹ as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, ¹² that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. ¹³ For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. ¹⁴ For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, ¹⁵ who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, ¹⁶ forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. ¹⁷ But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.

2. There Is Joy Now

My joy, our joy is that the evil day has been put behind us (defeated). The church has made six (6) congregational meetings as at today, though still on lockdown – glory to God in the highest. We are marching onwards. Sooner, there shall be fully articulated active service as the church pray and give thanks to God today in Jesus Name – amen! 

3. Many Reasons To Say Thank You
4. As at today and in recent times, the church is making spiritual and physical progression – yes – only those sitting on the fence cannot envision that I am not boasting by this assertive but through faith giving thanks to God for all He is doing.
5. Covid-19 has set a pace, noticeable changes for all humanity to follow, including the church (believers). Now is no time for sadness anymore. Covid-19 has opened the eyes and minds of understanding. Hand washing (personal hygiene), social distancing, no crowded parties and talking less e.t.c

III. The mighty has fallen. They now recognize the emptiness of man’s knowledge and wisdom – 1 Corinthians 1:19 ¹⁹ For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” In Nigeria, our great country, the elites and politicians can no longer fly abroad for holidays or for medical trips (all overseas land, air route has been shut by Covid-19).

1. Our own children here, are working through open doors of blessings, prayers answered by our loving Father, children are born to us, marriages are contracted, job/employment offers are secured, academics/educational positions are attained e.t.c
2. Safety and deliverance accorded all in journeys and work places.
3. Healings and miracles unnumbered – we have received unnoticed.

VII. Lastly, particularly, the defence protection, coverage we have at this time of the corona virus, all of us here, our children in different places. Oh what a mighty God we have and we serve. 

CONCLUSION

I plead to all of you, especially those that have not surrendered their lives to Christ to do so now. The Lord cares for you to return to HIM.

Song: All Hail The Power Of God. 

God bless us in Jesus Name – Amen!

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