By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
As believers in Christ begin to count days and weeks into the new year, the founder and general overseer of God’s Greater Grace General Assembly (GGGGA), Intl Incorporated, Benin, Rev Sunny Akenbor has urged them to allow their lives revolve more on thanksgiving to God and less on the issue of life and its challenges.
He said God has already instructed them to worry less but to centre all about them on these three cardinal points, prayers, supplication, and thanksgiving to God.
Rev. Akenbor gave the advice during the Sunday church service in Benin while speaking on the topic:”The power of thanksgiving”, taken from the book of Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”, Philippians 4:6.
Rev. Akenbor said christians are so much conversant with the prayers and supplications aspects but dwell less on thanksgiving.
Akenbor said giving thanks to God before the actualization of what they asked for is a clear demonstration of their faith and a systematic handing over of their problems to the one who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that they ever ask or think, according to the power that works in them (Ephesians 3:20)
The man of God said Jesus and Lazarus scenario is a perfect example for every believer to emulate adding that, when Jesus got to the grave site of Lazarus, He looked beyond the problem and involved God by giving thanks and there was instantaneous result that ridiculed the law of nature.
“So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
“I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me”, John 11:41-42.
Moreso, he said that in Our Lord’s Prayers, Jesus actually showed the lead when He taught His disciples how to pray.
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen”, Matthew 6:9-13