Pastor Jimmy Odukoya @ May 19 Sunday Service
Starting a new sermon series titled “The Dilemma of the New,” Pastor Jimmy Odukoya told his listeners at the May 19 Sunday service that everybody likes to have or experience something new, but they don’t want to let go of the old. He said this at the May 19 Sunday service.
He noted that for something new to begin, there has to be an end to the old, adding that when God says He’s going to make all things new, as read in the scriptures in Revelation 20:5–6, He expects His children to let go of the old.
Pastor J also explained the theory of cognitive dissonance, whereby a person believes in holding on to two contradictory things. He noted that some professed Christians still hold on to lifestyles that contradict their profession, especially when they’re presented with the opportunity to step into the new. “We are caught in a dilemma of stepping into the new because we don’t want to let go of the old,” he said.
He continued by providing explanations for why numerous individuals find themselves entangled in this predicament. He asserts that many people become entangled in the dilemma of the new due to factors such as fear of the unknown, satisfaction with the old, and social and peer pressure.
He said, “The old gives you some sense of stability—not because it’s good for you, but because you’re used to it.”
Using Abram, who obeyed God’s call to leave the old and enter the new He had for him, as recorded in Genesis 12:1, as an example, Pastor J told his listeners that when they obey God to leave the old and with faith follow Him to where He is taking them, they and their generations would be blessed for it, just as Abraham and his generations are blessed because of Abram’s obedience. “Obeying God to enter into the new is not always about you,” he said.
He therefore admonished them to be bold to leave that which they have always known—their company, identity, and comfort zone—and have faith, hope, and trust in God in what the new holds for them.
The full messages are available on the Church’s YouTube Channel, Fountain TV, and Jimmy Odukoya YouTube Channel. The audio messages can be accessed on SoundCloud, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Apple Podcast.
NEW BEGINNING
Pastor Jimmy Odukoya @ Thursday showers
Starting his sermon on the importance and efficacy of praise and worship, especially during challenging times, Pastor Jimmy Odukoya stated at the May 16 Thursday showers that the essence of worship lies in its power to summon the divine to accomplish what seems unattainable. He added that worship should be the believer’s sole recourse, for it beckons God’s presence into the midst of any tribulation.
In his words, “It is a decision to be intentional, even if you feel like you are in the worst position of your life. If the battle is intense, intensify your praise. If praise is only tied to when you are happy, that is not a sacrifice; the answer is in your praise. The quickest way to keep receiving is to have a heart of gratitude.”
The senior pastor further mentioned that the adversary’s aim is to quell the believers’ voice, trapping them in despair. He said, “The lie of the devil is to make you feel that there is no hope.”
Speaking from John 5 and Hebrews 6; 11:1, the clergy opined that the reason believers easily lose hope is because they have tied it to an event, adding that such hopes would easily disappear once those events disappeared. “Some of us don’t have faith to believe because we have accepted that this is how it will be. To have a new beginning, you cannot let the devil rob you of hope, because without hope, you can’t have a new beginning,” Pastor Jimmy observed.
Pastor J therefore encouraged his listeners to not define themselves by their hardships, reminding them of Jesus’ awareness of their struggles and assuring them of His presence even when they feel alone. “Never lose hope. God cannot lie, and because of that, we are confident to hold on,” he urged.
The full messages are available on the Church’s YouTube Channel, Fountain TV, and Jimmy Odukoya YouTube Channel. The audio messages can be accessed on SoundCloud, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Apple Podcast.
