THEME: POSITIONING YOURSELF AS A YOUTH TO HEAR, OBEY AND SERVE THE LORD TO FULFILL YOUR PROPHETIC DESTINY AND ROLE
BIBLE REFERENCES: 1 Sam. 2:12-36; Joel 2:28; Acts 2:16-17; 2 Ti. 3:15-17.
INTRODUCTION
I personally believe that this year’s theme has come to rebrand and reposition The Church of Pentecost to become a World-Class model Church if the Youth will come to terms with their prophetic mandate, and position themselves in God’s presence to hear, obey and serve in their generation like Samuel, David, Joshua, Joseph, Timothy, and our dear Chairman Opoku Onyinah and many Apostles of our Church.
A survey of both the Old and New Testaments reveals that anytime God’s people grow apathetic to His ways or righteousness, God looks for a youth to prepare, endow with His grace, power, anointing, wisdom and gifts to rise to leadership to accomplish His purposes.
A study of 1 Samuel brings the above assertion to light in that when Eli grew very old and his two sons serving as priests also grew worthless, corrupt, and defiling women, God was preparing Samuel to take their place as He had determined to kill them (1 Sam. 2:20-36).
As an Apostle with prophetic gift, I see God heavily armed to flush out all the Hophnis and Phenihasses in His Church to give way to the emerging Samuels to rise to leadership in the various levels.
Again when some leaders of Israel and the nation as a whole were becoming stubborn and rebellious against God and Moses, God was preparing Joshua to take the nation as her leader to conquer Canaan to settle His people for their eternal inheritance.
The examples of Jacob, Joseph, David, Daniel and Timothy are a clear evidence of what God wants to do with the Youth of today’s Church.
As The Church of Pentecost is aging and becoming an orthodox Pentecostal Church in Ghana, many Church leaders have grown apathetic, lukewarm, and some have wandered into the behavior of Hophni and Phenihas who need to be disciplined. Hence God is looking for the Samuels, Josephs, Davids, Daniels, Joshuas among the Youth of His Church to bring them to the Leadership of the Church. This call for our matured Ministers to equip, teach, train, and mentor into visionary and quality leaders as Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Missionaries.
THE YOUTH RESPONSE AND RESPONSIBILITY
1.0 They must discover, focus and take responsibility for their prophetic mandate in God’s Church (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:16-17;
Job 8:5-7; 2 Ti. 2:15; 3:15-17;
2.0 They must position themselves through consecration, righteous living, Communion with God, Bible Studies, periodical fasting
Prayer to see and hear from God (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Ti. 2:15;3:15-17; Job 8:5-7; Heb. 1:9)
3.0 Get a spiritual mentor or father to learn and study from (1 Cor. 11:1)
The truth of this is that if you want to be a good leader you must be a good follower.
4.0 Commit yourself fully to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission (Mark 10:28-30; Matt. 28:18-20)
5.0 Let the attitude and Character of Christ be your lifestyle to build yourself a strong and living Faith to withstand every temptation, trial, challenges, that come your way to prune you ( Php 2:5-11).
6.0 As a Youth you need to build yourself in broad secular education to acquire enormous wealth of knowledge plus the wisdom of God to be creative and fruitful through hard work.
KEY RESULTS FOR HEARING, OBEYING, AND SERVING THE LORD.
1.0 Knowledge of God and His word (Jer. 9:23; John 6:40)
2.0 Living Faith (Ro. 10:9-17; Heb. 11:6)
3.0 Eternal life (John 6:40 Ro. 6:23)
4.0 Righteousness and good works (Deut. 6:24-25; 2 Ti. 3:15-17;
Eph. 2:10).
5.0 Fruitfulness & Creativity & Hardwork (John 15:4-5,16; Gen. 1:28).
6.0 Enjoying the presence of God with the provision of everything you need for life and godliness (John 14:21-23; 2 Pet.1:3-4).
7.0 Guarantee for receiving whatever we ask and expect from God (John 15:7,16).
8.0 Leaving a legacy of a good name after we are gone from here- (Prov. 22:1-4).
9.0 Enjoying open heavens, blessings, success, and prosperity from God Himself (Jos. 1:8; Deut. 28:1-13; Malachi 3:8-12).
10.0 Enjoyment of peace, security, contentment, longevity, sound health, favor with God and men (Prov. 1:33; 3:1-7).
May God grant you the grace to read and meditate on the Bible texts quoted above in support of the Ten (10) key results for hearing and obeying the voice of the Lord in our generation.
By Apostle Emmanuel Achim Gyimah (Kaneshie Area Head of the Church of Pentecost)
This was first delivered at the Abossey-Okai Worship Center on Youth Day, 17th July, 2016.