Jn 16: 20- 24 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full”

I thank God that your prayers will receive answers today in Jesus name. No matter what your problem may be, if you can join us in prayer today being the grand finale of the Holy Ghost inspired crusade titled FROM SORROW TO JOY, I want to let you know that regardless of where you may be, as long as you align your faith with ours, my God will answer you. He has never rejected any prayer from a diligent heart for He is a re-warder of them that diligently seek him. You may have wept and cried as a result of sorrow prevailing in your life, but I am assuring you that after today you shall rejoice for your sorrow shall be turned to joy.

As we go to God in prayer today, keeping the faith, I want to assure you that He is much more able than ever to do whatever we ask Him to do now for He has done it before. We must not forget the fact that God has not changed and that all He has ever done before He is able to do again. We must consider what He did previously in our lives, how He has given us salvation, delivered us from the hands of our oppressors, and kept us from being destroyed all these years. As you remember all these and call upon Him in accordance with His will, He will surely answer you in Jesus name.

So whatever is your problem, in this divine visitation He will turn your sorrow to joy. God loves you and does not want you to begin the year with tears, thus this visitation to remove your burden. You know there is no problem that is mightier than Him and with Him all things are possible. So, why are you afraid that God will not give answer to that petition you made to Him? Why are you so disturbed that God who brought you to this world will not give you your own husband/ wife? Why are you afraid that God who fed you yesterday will not feed you again? My friend the God, who did it before, will do it again. God will turn your sorrow to joy in this program.

The common problem of many people in this present day is that of failing to remember that what the Lord did in the time of old, He can still do again even in this present day. When you hear many of such people murmuring and complaining of their present situations, the things they say at such times make one wonder if it is not God that is still in control of human affairs. Their attitude make some people wonder if God is still alive or has changed. God has not changed; He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The same scenario played out in the days of Elijah when he forgot what God can do and instead wished himself dead just because a mere woman threatened him.

1Kings 19:1-4 says, “And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. 3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”

Elijah was known as a powerful prophet in his era. A Prophet who at his command made fire to come upon his enemies, a Prophet who slain more than four hundred prophets of Baal that challenged the supremacy of God Almighty. But with all these feats this man couldn’t stand the threat of a woman rather he ran away, murmured against God and even requested from God that he should die. He didn’t consider what God had done before to reassure himself that same God could do it again. He had forgotten that the God who did what Ahab mentioned to Jezebel could still do those things again even better. Beloved, we serve a great and living God who can do all things. If you can have this understanding, happy are you. Do not be afraid of your present ugly situation for God who delivered you before is still alive and will perform the same feat again and turn our sorrow to joy.

1 Jn 5:13- 14 says, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him”.

There is no doubt that today being the grand finale of our crusade; answers will be poured from heaven to wet the desire of the participants, and your sorrow shall be turned to joy.
You should not pray for yourselves alone, but also for others; for sinners, that they may be saved; for our brethren in Christendom, that they may be delivered from persecution and above all for Nigeria for peace to rain. Persecution and oppression of Christians persists because we do not pray as we are expected to but as we pray today God is determined to wipe away our tears.
Acts 16:25-26 says, “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed”.
No matter your condition, situation, bondage, etc; the same God that answered Moses and the apostles of old is still alive to answer your prayers in Jesus name. Prayer is all about getting answers to them and you know that there are places where many have gone to pray without answers but I assure you that at the end of this crusade my God will answer you in Jesus name.I want to let you understand that there is no barrier in prayer. If you can confess and renounce your sins, and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, God will hear your prayers and answer shall be given to your request.
Jn 9: 31 says, “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth”
The above context is self explanatory. Although the Scripture says God answers prayers, but He answers only when He hears you. And He cannot hear you if you are a sinner who refuses to repent. If you regard iniquity in your heart, yet abide in your sins, or refuse to separate from the workers and works of iniquity, He will not hear you and on that condition your prayers will not be answered.

But if you can do as directed, repent from your sins and turn a new leaf, I am very sure that as we conclude today’s program our God will give answer to all your request as a proof that He answers prayers in Jesus name.

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