The Youth Director, Pastor Ebenezer Hagan continued his 3-day working visit to the Konongo Area of the Church by joining the Juaso zone on Tuesday, 24th August, 2021 to have fellowship with the entire Church. Speaking on the topic, “Grounded in the Faith, Abounding in the Work of the Lord,” he laid emphasis on the fact that Satan is doing everything possible to make sure the faith we have received is lost, hence the need for us to be grounded. He took his scriptural references from 1 Corinthians 15:58, 2 Timothy 4:6-8 and 1 Peter 1:3-9.
The Youth Director made it clear that if care is not taken, Satan can take the faith away, hence the doctrine “once saved, forever saved” is false and shouldn’t be encouraged in the church. By this he beckoned the young people and the entire church populace to hold on to the faith which they have received. It will be a great loss if they lose the faith which they have received, he stated.
He made it clear that the world is in constant battle with the Christian faith. The term ‘world’ as used in his sermon describes mankind in his fallen state and its alienation from God. It is not the physical earth, its structures, and the human beings in it. Thus, the world in mention is a system of operation on the earth and not the earth itself. The systems of the world are how the earth is run – its policies, leadership, laws, values, and virtues. It also includes the way of life, lifestyles, and attitudes of the world. A mighty, unseen power, the “god of this world” (2 Cor.4:4), rules it; and a spirit, “the spirit of the world” (1 Cor. 2:12), pervades it and gives it strength. It is an organized force that is unknowingly animated by one evil power that fills it with its spirit; it is a power of darkness led on by one leader, the god of this world’ (2 Cor.4:4, Eph. 2:2). The world system is thus against God and His interest because it is ruled by Satan.
He further stated that, for a little while they may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the genuineness of our faith is proven (1 Peter 3:6-7). Pastor Hagan stood in the stead of the Apostle Paul and pleaded that they should not to be moved by these trials when they come but rather be steadfast in the faith. He added that they can be grounded through daily devotional and prayer life. In the light of this that the Youth Ministry has brought about the “Read through the Bible a Year” to help everyone to engage with the word of God on daily basis. Again, the Youth Ministry has also introduced the weekly prayer session dubbed “Anaviosi Fotia” to help us develop interest in prayers. He beckoned us again to get actively involved in these interventions.
He also stated that we should endeavor to abound in the work of the Lord. He admonished everyone to find something to do in the church. It can be ushering, cleaning the church, join the choir or prayer warriors, instrumentalists, technical team, etc. You must be grounded in the faith and be abounding in the work of the Lord.
Continuing his sermon, the Youth Director laid emphasis on the fact that there is a great inheritance which awaits us in heaven and it is only with the faith that it can be attained. This inheritance can never perish, spoil or fade therefore we should all strive to get this inheritance. The key point of the Youth Director’s sermon was that “Satan will do anything and everything possible to make sure that we lose the faith in Christ which is our salvation, hence the need for us to be firmly grounded in the faith. For with the power we have received in our born-again experience (Jn. 1:12) and the grace we have received in our salvation (Tit. 2:11-12) we can overcome the world.
With this the Youth Director charged everyone to stand firm and be “grounded” in the faith, not allowing any of Satan’s strategies to sway them away from their love for the Lord. He further charged the congregants to “use the power and the grace” God has given them through salvation to overcome the world. Pastor Isaac Ayiku Quarshie led the congregants through an intensive prayer session after the sermon.
The meeting ended with everyone having been revived and poised to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord their labour will not be in vain.
The meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Apostle Owusu Akyaw and the wife, Mama Dora, the Area Head of Konongo. Moderating the meeting was Pastor Isaac Ayiku Quarshie, the Area Youth Leader for Konongo with the support of the Area Executive Committee of the Youth Ministry. Present were the pastors and wives and the officers in the Juaso Zone.
