By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
The general overseer and founder of God’s Greater Grace General Assembly Intl Incorporated, Benin, Rev Sunny Akenbor has given reasons believers in Christ must pray against every spirit of delays in their lives, saying that, it could lead to depression, backsliding, jealousy and unsolicited opinions.
He gave the reasons when speaking on the topic:”Oh Lord answer me on time” during the Sunday church service in Benin.
Rev. Akenbor said because of the delay in the arrival of Moses from Mount Sinai when he went to get the 10 commandments, the children of Israel could not wait a little further rather they have to trade off their patience by making a golden calf for worship, an act that angered God.
“When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods[a] who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
“Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.”
“So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,[b] Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt”, Exodus 32:1-4.
Akenbor also pointed out the case of a woman in the bible who due to prolonged waiting and frustration, went to her husband to ask him to give her children or else she dies.
“When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”
“Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?”
“Then she said, “Here is Bilhah, my servant. Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.”
“So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob slept with her, and she became pregnant and bore him a son.
“Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; he has listened to my plea and given me a son.” Because of this she named him Dan.
“Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.
“Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” So she named him Naphtali”, Genesis 30:1-8.
The clergyman also added that the forces of delay equally worked against Esau stressing that no sooner than Jacob left after receiving the blessings from their father, Isaac, he (Esau) walked in but it was too late for him.
He said David knew the importance and benefits of early satisfaction and that, that was why he asked God in one of his prayers that God should satisfy him early.
“Relent, Lord! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
“Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble”, Psalm 90:13-15.
While assuring christians that God can put an end to every form of delays in their lives and satisfy them early as he joins his faith with them in prayers, cautions them to act gently and meekly with those who are experiencing delays in their lives and not to add to their problems with their actions or inactions.
He said what those who are going through any form of delays need is love, kind words and prayers.
