Victorious Praise!

Pastor Taiwo Odukoya @November Anointing Service, The Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju, Lagos, Nigeria.

Pastor Taiwo, at the Anointing Service, November 3rd, 2021, shared on the theme of the month "Victorious Praise" using the story of Paul and Silas in the prison, how despite in their lowest state, at the point in their lives were wrongly accused and battered by the majority of the citizens and the leadership of the State, and now given capital punishment and throne into the prison, fit in stocks and in the dungeon, despite committing no offense, yet threatened with death, were victoriously freed through the power of prayer and praise. 

In that situation, a natural person will be afraid and scared to death, but Paul and Silas turned there situation around through the power of prayer and praise. They prayed, sang hymns despite there horrible state, the prisoners were there listening and staring, and the foundations of the prison shook, every door was opened and everyone's chains were loosed. Their situation was totally reversed. "When we worship God in spirit and in truth, in spite of our situation, creatures had no choice than to listen" he said. 

Pastor Taiwo, speaking on the theme scripture fro the month of November, Act 16:18-34, to drive home his points, he said when we stand out as light at this end time (as seen in the lives of Paul and Silas, when they delivered the possessed girl), we should get ready for trouble. "If you refuse to join the bandwagon or compromise your faith, then be ready to face trouble and oppositions". 

According to the scripture in Acts 16, with reference to Paul and Silas, Pastor Taiwo said midnight situations are times of transitions, nay, troubled times. He said, midnight of crisis is a desperate moment in the life of any human. The good thing about Paul and Silas is that, there midnight did not turn them around. Instead, their midnight turned things around for them. 

"Midnight changes alot of people, but for Paul and Silas, midnight changed the situation", he said.

According to him, if your challenges is finance, your midnight is when you cannot even afford 10 Kobo to buy food for your child. Midnights brings fear, it changes people. He added that fear will come, but what we do in fearful situations will determine our outcome.

Speaking on fear, he said there is no human being that don't get to have scaring moments in their lives. However, we must master our fears. When we don't master our fear, it will master us, it will put us in trouble, he said.

Pastor Taiwo shared two things that fear does;

1. Fear either inspire courage in us or 

2. Faint-heartedness and invariably cowardice.

According to him, fear drives you in the path of courage. In this context, courage is not without fear, but it is confirming the fear and in spite of it, based on knowledge, you launch out. He said, fear will either cause you to take a flight or launch a fight.

For Paul and Silas, everything's was going down for them, BUT- that was a change in direction. BUT- that was courage stirred up. What did they do? Paul and Silas? They prayed and sang praises. Somebody might say, why did they pray? The deeper we go (in prayer), the clearer it becomes. 

"The person that is afraid doesn't sing. But when the fearful person launches out in courage, he will sing and laugh", he said. Paul and Silas understood this Kingdom principal and their situation was reversed.

"Your situation is changing in Jesus name. Heaven is reversing every evil plot and agenda against you in Jesus name. The root  of all your problems are shaking today and you are coming out victorious...

"Whatever door has been shut or is being shut around you is opened now in Jesus name! Whatever chain you've been bound with, is shattered in Jesus name. The Bible states, the Anointing destroys and breaks the yoke; of poverty, lack and oppression. You are Victorious in Jesus mighty name" he prayed

Reported By: Samuel Adu

For: The Fountain of Life Church Publications