Convocation: Desire to see God, remain committed to greater works, Aboyeji, others tell worshippers

General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Rev. Dr. Sam Aboyeji, has urged Christians to rededicate themselves to greater works and seek a deeper relationship with God, stressing that those who truly encounter God cannot remain the same.

He gave the charge at the just-concluded 12th Convocation of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Jakande Estate District Headquarters, while speaking on the message delivered on the the theme, “I See the Lord”.

Aboyeji who was represented by the Chairman, Life Governing Council of the Church Rev. Dr. Joseph Ameh, remembered the worshippers on the need to focus on renewing their commitment to God and align their lives with His purpose.

According to Aboyeji, the central message was a call for members to rededicate themselves to works that honour God, noting that divine intervention is linked to activities that glorify Him.

“The whole idea of the message is to encourage the church to rededicate themselves for greater works because it is what we are doing that represents God that He shows up.

“Whatever you are doing that does not honour God, He will not show up. The whole objective is to honour God in all that we do, be committed to understanding what He wants for now and make sure that that is what you declare to the people,” he said.

In an interview with the media, Ameh urged members of the Jakande Estate District to desire an encounter with God, describing such an experience as transformative.

“My word for them is exactly what I have shared: grace to see God. It is not everybody that can see God. It is the grace of God that finds you out. So, I want to encourage them that they should seek God. They should desire to see Him. God grants desires,” he said.

He added that encountering God brings about fundamental changes in a believer’s life.
“Nobody sees God and remains the same again. So, desire to see God is to experience a change: a change in values, a change in direction and a change in all about your life that will fulfill God’s plan and purpose,” Ameh stated.

On the church’s forthcoming convention in October, he said members should expect a season of greater accomplishments, with the theme, “Breaking New Grounds.”
He explained that having concluded the church’s 70th anniversary celebration last year, Foursquare was now looking forward to expanding its frontiers and achieving greater things for God.

“We ended up our 70th anniversary last year, so we are going now to conquer new grounds. That is our expectation. God is visiting us to empower us to break new grounds, to break new frontiers. That is what God has for Foursquare this year,” he said.

Also speaking, the Festac Axis Coordinator of the Foursquare Festac Axis, Rev. Godwin Samuel, described the district convocation as a period for members to review their past performance and prayerfully project into the coming year.

According to him, the event provides an opportunity for believers to take stock of their spiritual journey while making faith-based declarations concerning the future.
“The convocation is a kind of celebration. It is reviewing the past performance and projecting into the next year.

“It is really a time to take stock, and by faith in God begin to make declarations to say, ‘This is how we want our next year to be,’” Samuel said.

He noted that the convocation also reinforced the Christian hope of Christ’s return, urging members to remain spiritually prepared.

Samuel said the theme, “I See the Lord,” should prompt believers to examine their relationship with God and ensure that they remain in a state of readiness.

“It is really talking about renewing or establishing their relationship with God. In terms of how does God see you? If you see God now, would you pass the test?
“I think it is just a question of constantly putting oneself in a state of readiness, that when God comes, you will not be disqualified from having that interaction or engagement and receiving your blessing,” he said.

He encouraged members to sustain their faith and hope, stressing that Christians must remain prepared for what he described as “the glorious appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Meanwhile, the District Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Jakande Estate District Headquarters, Rev. Adekemi Gbadebo, called on members of the church to prioritise God, His word and His ways, urging them to seek a fresh revelation of God amid the challenges confronting the nation.

According to him, the theme was inspired by the experience of the biblical prophet Isaiah, who, despite having served God for some time, needed a fresh revelation of Him to transform, refocus, repurpose, redirect, refire and renew him for service and ministry.
He said the convocation was designed to provide members and participants with an opportunity for divine encounter, visitation and solutions to life’s challenges.

Gbadebo explained that believers who desire to experience God both on earth and in eternity must be prepared to pay the price through genuine repentance, humility and diligent pursuit of God.

He also listed willingness to prioritise God at all times, honouring Him in every circumstance, obedience to His instructions, godly and holy living, as well as loving and worshipping Him irrespective of circumstances, as essential requirements for believers seeking a deeper relationship with God.
According to him, the decision to put God first must be deliberate and intentional, stressing that Christians must make it a personal choice and responsibility.
“I want to particularly urge us as a District, both individually and corporately, to prioritise God, His will, His word and His ways, at all times and in all circumstances,” she said.

Gbadebo expressed optimism that when believers intentionally place God at the centre of their lives, they could trust Him to intervene in their circumstances, fight their battles and bring unexpected blessings.

He prayed that the Lord would show up for members at all times and in every situation, while urging them to remain steadfast in their faith.
Acknowledging the difficult socio-economic realities facing Nigerians, the District Overseer urged Christians not to lose hope but to draw encouragement from the Scriptures and remain committed to honouring God in every area of their lives.

He said the prevailing challenges made the message of the convocation particularly relevant, noting that believers should remain focused on God rather than allow difficult circumstances to weaken their faith.
“This year’s convocation is a gathering for a divine encounter, divine visitation and divine solution,” Gbadebo said.
He therefore urged participants to approach the programme with open hearts and readiness for a life-changing encounter that would bring salvation, transformation, healing, revival, direction, renewal and strength.
He expressed faith that the gathering would result in renewed joy, testimonies and blessings among participants.
Gbadebo prayed that the convocation would fill the hearts of worshippers with joy and their mouths with laughter and testimonies, while strengthening their commitment to God and His purpose for their lives.

Also, the 12th Convocation Chairman, Dr. Ohi Akpengbe expressed satisfaction with the large turnout at the convocation, describing it as one of the biggest gatherings recorded by the district. He said the strong participation demonstrated the commitment of members to the work of God.

Reflecting on the theme, “I See the Lord,” Akpengbe urged Christians not to allow economic difficulties and other challenges to distract them from God.
He said the theme was inspired by Isaiah 6:1 and 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, stressing the need for believers to consciously seek and experience the presence of God.
“It is timely at a season like this, when believers are losing focus and yielding to economic pain or moving away from the presence of God. It behooves us to consciously and intentionally desire to see the real presence of God,” he said.
Akpengbe also expressed appreciation to the church leadership, planning committee, executives and members whose contributions, according to him, contributed to the success of the convocation.

He particularly commended his wife for her support throughout his tenure as chairman of the convocation, saying her encouragement contributed significantly to his ability to execute the assignment.
Looking ahead to next year’s convocation, Akpengbe said he would continue to support the incoming leadership and ensure that the empowerment initiative for struggling churches was sustained.

He urged members returning to their various communities to remain committed to God and “build for God,” while encouraging them to continue spreading the gospel.