LIFE Foundation Church

Year 2020 has, indeed, been a challenging one is every aspect. There was ASSU strike, kidnaping, massacre of innocent people by Fulani herdsmen, abduction of secondary school children. COVID19 pandemic. the lockdown, endsas protest, wanton destruction of private and public property by hoodlums, unprecedented market inflation, outrageous electricity bills, and so on and so forth. There is a scriptural description of this type of situation in the book of Joel chapter one verse four which says : “That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten”. This shows that if one of these challenges did not affect you, the other will surely do.

There has not been a year like 2020 in recent history in which the whole world was so much affected that even advanced countries groaned and are still groaning under the severe effect of COVID19 Pandemic and economic depression. As you sit down in a sober reflection, you will acknowledge the fact that you also have been personally affected.

However, like in the days of prophet Joel, God promised to usher in a time of restoration. He said to the people of Israel in the book of Joel 2:25-27 : “...I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed”.

For the Lord to bring in restoration, the people of Israel were told what they must do. Read Joel 2:15-17. God said : “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?” One can see that every category of persons needed to experience restoration - the priests, elders, young men and women, up to children and “those that suck the breasts”

It is a natural phenomenon that day time will surely come after night fall. In the same token the Bible says weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning. Don’t forget the saying that at the end of the dark tunnel there is a silver lining. Though things would have been tough and challenging in this passing year 2020, God has promised a time of restoration as He did to ancient Israel.

This shows that as we look forward to having a year of restoration from the Lord, there is a need to have a solemn assembly of all and sundry at a crossover night service to cry unto the Lord in earnest prayer for God to show us His mercy and usher in a time of restoration to our land, our individual lives and ministry as a Church. Therefore, on the last day of this year being 31st December, everyone without exception will have to assemble at the crossover night to travail in earnest prayer unto God for the needed restoration. We can borrow a leaf from the payer point of Israel which goes thus : “Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?” In our own case we shall pray and say : “Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that EVIL should rule over us: wherefore should the ENEMY say among the people, Where is their God?”.

The prayer time at the crossover night affords every one of us the opportunity to tell God in details the things which troubled us in 2020 and implore Him never to allow the affliction of 2020 to come a second time in the new year. We shall request God to make good our case in 2021. The Bible says in Luke 11:9 : “... Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” It goes on to say : “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

The Scripture further tells us that we do not receive because we do not ask. It says “Ask that you may receive”. Jesus taught his disciples to persist in prayer all the time and He ended the teaching with saying “men ought always to pray and no to faint”. In fact, your problem in year 2020 could have been prayerlessness. So, part of what your prayer should be to will be ask God to strengthen your prayer life in the new year so that whatever you need will always be committed to Him in prayer.

My prayer for you as we prepare to enter the new year is that God will restore to you in double measure all that you could have achieved in 2020 which you could not due to COVID19 lockdown. The Lord will bless every thing you lay your hand upon to do. You shall have uncommon favour with God and with men. Where others fail you will succeed, Men shall be in a hurry to help you and those who will come your way will be your destiny supporters. You shall be on top always and not below. You shall move forward ever and backward never. God’s goodness and mercy shall follow you any where you go in the name of Jesus. The testimonies of God’s goodness in your life will never cease. I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year .