In continuation of the teaching he started the previous Thursday, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, while ministering at the October 9 Sunday service, emphasised the importance of prayer, especially corporate prayers. According to him, believers cannot be too busy for prayer, adding that it is a vital aspect of life.
Speaking from Acts 1:14, the Senior Pastor of The Fountain of Life Church emphasised the need for oneness in the body of Christ through prayers. According to him, “there is division when the church does not pray in one accord. When we pray together, we are forcing, as it were, in a very loving manner, Oneness. When we are ignorant about corporate prayers, we are boxed up by what the world says, not what the Bible says.”
He warned the church to beware of looking down on prayers being raised in the church, as this only breed division. He went on to admonish the church to never stop praying at any point in time. This he emphasised with scriptures from the Book of Acts 2:42-44, noting that we should not stop praying because we already have answers to our heart’s requests; instead, we should pray more and not faint. He added that there is a place for corporate prayers and no reason is good enough for not partaking in them.
Speaking about the blessings of corporate prayer, the clergy stated the following:
Corporate prayers provoke the in-filling of the Holy Spirit for those who participate in them.
Corporate prayers bring about a great increase in the body of Christ.
Engaging in corporate prayers boosts your confidence as iron sharpens iron.
Great things happen when we have a continuous attitude of praying together.
Corporate prayers also sharpen our countenances, thereby eliminating any form of depression.
He thereafter led the church in a prayer of thanksgiving, adding that the best way to petition God is in the midst of thanksgiving. He also led the church in praying in the Holy Ghost, stating that when we pray in other tongues, we are in the spirit and we speak mysteries to God.
In closing, Pastor Taiwo Odukoay stated that when we pray, we declare the promises of God for our lives. This shows our agreement with God and His promises for our lives. He also urged the church to daily meditate on Ephesians 3:14–19 (TPT) and claim the blessings embedded in it.
PRAYING BRINGS ONENESS
Pastor Taiwo Odukoya @ Thursday showers
Jesus started with prayers, and the church also started with prayers. Everything that happened in the church and also the unity found came from the constant prayer life. When there is a praying heart, you find order and agreement, whereas naturally, you should find pride and disagreement. These are the words of Pastor Taiwo Odukoya during his ministration at the October 6 Thursday showers.
Using the Book of Acts 1:14 and Acts 2:40–42 as points of reference, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya emphasised prayer as a tool for oneness in the church. He stated that the moment the fire of prayer dwindles, there is always trouble.
In his words, “On the day of Pentecost, the apostles were all in one accord because they were praying. In the church, there is no place for independence. Even for nations, no one is alone. You must collaborate so you don’t dry off. Two is always better than one, and a three-fold cord cannot be easily broken.”
The clergy continued, “The oneness of a couple will always trouble the devil because he hates unity. When there is an offense, in order to avoid disorderliness, there is a need to quickly forgive.”
Pastor Odukoya further noted that signs and wonders are usually experienced in the place of prayer, noting that believers need to have an attitude of unity when they come together to pray. This attitude, he continued, applies to every aspect of their lives, like home, ministry, and endeavour. “Our faith should not consist of just giving but also receiving,” he said.
Lastly, he told everyone to take part in the fasting and prayer, since most of this is about giving thanks.
