Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,21 to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever’ Ephesians 3:20-21
As is now customary, First Assembly of God Wortmanville (FAOGW) Old Year’s Night Service utilised a tag-As is now customary, First Assembly of God Wortmanville (FAOGW) Old Year’s Night Service utilised a tag-team preaching approach. Reverend Winston Assanah commenced with the theme: ‘To Him Who Made It Happen.’ Ephesians 3: 20-21 formed his focus.
Rev. Assanah noted that the Apostle Paul, throughout the text, was making note of the different things that God had done – things that could only be done through Jesus. “God is God and will always be God and nothing will stop Him,” declared the Reverend. “You and I have a responsibility to give the Lord praise. Whatever God is doing is immeasurably done. God is bigger than you could ever think or imagine.” Rev. Assanah concluded these declarations by reminding the congregation that in 2021, 5.4 million persons died from COVID-19, but God kept us alive, and for this God deserves praise.
Looking ahead to 2022, Rev Assanah advised the congregants to be prepared for three specific things to happen in their lives. Firstly, Jesus will reconnect them with God. “Some of us lost our Wi-Fi service with God, but God is about to reconnect you, data lost has been returned through the power of the Holy Ghost and through Jesus Christ our Lord,” said Rev. Assanah. He then urged the congregants to enter 2022 with the Lord, as they each need their connection.
Secondly, Rev. Anassah stated that Jesus will resuscitate persons like he did for Lazarus. He reminded the congregation that the God they are serving is immeasurable; greater and more powerful than anything they could ask, or think or even desire. Thirdly, he advised that Jesus will restore them.
Rev. Assanah then issued a call to service. “God loves people and therefore, God will use you to minister to people.” He posited that loving God means loving people. “Cherish your Pastor, cherish your Bishop, he is your covering,” he continued, before stressing the importance of one’s calling. “You must know that your calling matters. Everything that you do is as a result of your calling. Calling means serving, therefore, for 2022, make up your mind. Serve the Lord with all your might, with all your soul, with all your strength because God has called you to serve.” Rev. Assanah then cautioned that one should not fight for position but instead fight to serve and God will give the position.
To be effective in service, Rev. Assanah emphasised the importance of remaining connected to the Church. “The Church will not die,” he declared, reminding the congregation of Jesus’ words, `I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’
“Make yourself available to the Church,” counselled Rev Assanah. “God believes in planting people, therefore, you must remain connected to where He has planted you because it is only that kind of connection that will develop the resuscitation that we are talking about and restoration for growth.”
Rev. Assanah, closed with Genesis 8:21 which describes God’s posture to Noah after the earth was destroyed by a flood, with water having covered the earth for one hundred and fifty days. “God however, remembered Noah, and if He remembered Noah, He remembers you.”
Rev. Assanah explained that the first thing Noah did, after he, his family and the animals survived the flood, was to build an altar and worship God. “The smell of that worship was like sweet perfume and he made sure that he connected to God because it was God who kept him alive. God wants to bring you through your circumstance, despite what you may be going through,” said Rev. Assanah, as he wrapped up his message.
Picking up from where Rev. Assanah left off, Bishop Dr. Murtland Raphael Massiah delivered a sermon under the theme: ‘Opportunities.’ He commenced by commending the congregants for attending church. However, he encouraged them to come to Church throughout the year and not only on Old Year’s night.
In that same vein, he noted that it is a fantastic time to be alive. “God has blessed us, as well as Guyana, in a beautiful way,” affirmed Bishop Dr. Massiah who, like Rev. Assanah, impressed upon the congregation how privileged they were to make it through 2021. Further, he stated that 2022 will provide challenges as well as opportunities.
Bishop Dr. Massiah reminded the congregants to occupy until the Lord returns as there will be opportunities for all. Additionally, they were encouraged to make the right choices or they may lose the opportunities. Referencing Minister Saiku, who ministered earlier in song, as an example of using his gifting as a businessman and artiste, Bishop Dr. Massiah said, “you should multiply your talents and receive more.”
The Bishop stressed the importance of making decisions at the family level. Drawing from the Chief Executive Officer of Coca Cola, Bishop Dr. Massiah stated that life is filled with five important levels: Work, Health, Family, Friends, and Spirit. “Work is important. However, if you lose it, it will bounce back like a rubber ball. Nonetheless, health, family, friends, and spirit will shatter if they fall. You can lose your entire family and health,” warned the Bishop.
Bishop Dr. Massiah then asked the thought provoking question, “If your name is called, are you in a position to say how you used your gift?” He encouraged the congregation to stop limiting themselves but rather be good stewards of their giftings and talents. “When you mishandle your gifts, they can be taken away,” he cautioned.
Accordingly, Bishop Dr. Massiah used a quote from Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States of America who said, ‘you are not merely here to make a living, you are here in order to enable the world to live more amply’ to encourage the congregants.
Using the need for improved treatment of our senior citizens as an example, the Bishop said, “use your degrees to make life better because you are standing on the shoulders of other people. You don’t have to be a politician to do that.” In the same vein he said, “if you are a teacher, you are here to help the children to do better than you did.”
As his final major point, Bishop Dr. Massiah declared that vision is one of the greatest assets that anyone can possess. He emphasised “You must have a personal vision and your vision must include people, family, and friends.”
The congregants were further encouraged when Bishop Dr. Massiah posited that growth is consistent with hard work and the favour of God. “Delay is not denial. When you have a vision you are not intimidated by the immediate [circumstance],” declared the Bishop. “While you wait, occupy, as you are here to enrich the world.”
As Bishop Dr. Massiah prepared to bless the congregants, he stated that in 2022 believers should make a decision not to take their gifts back to God. “Don’t be a generalist, as the people who make it in life are not generalists,” urged Bishop Dr. Massiah, as he concluded his message.
To culminate the 2021 Old Year’s Night Service, Bishop Dr. Massiah prayed that the grace of God would open the eyes of the congregants that they may have better lenses and that their coming to church translates into a better quality of life, emotionally and spiritually.
He ended with the worship song, ‘…What’s that you have in your hands, I can use it, if you are willing to lose it.’
