Understanding God’s Promises Key to Unlocking Divine Blessings

Christians have been urged to deepen their understanding of God’s promises and make practical use of His free gifts to mankind in order to experience victory, prosperity and fulfilment in life.

The charge was given by Reverend Budadi Taki of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) during a Sunday worship service at the COCIN Worship Centre, Chijiqueen Mopol Base, Bende Road, Umuahia, Abia State.

Preaching on the topic, ‘Understanding God’s Promises’, and reading from Matthew 16:13-17, Rev. Taki said God’s word is powerful, recalling that during creation He spoke and everything came into existence according to His command.

Rev. Taki who is the coordinator of COCIN Prayer and Revival Unit, (PRU) encouraged members of the congregation to cultivate the habit of studying the Bible carefully, prayerfully and with an open mind, noting that the Holy Spirit reveals divine secrets that guide believers to live successful and purposeful lives.

According to him, God has already blessed mankind with everything needed to live a fulfilled life from the beginning of creation, but many people fail to understand or make proper use of the privileges and provisions God has made available.

Rev. Taki shared his personal testimony of salvation, explaining that after accepting Jesus Christ, he had no Bible of his own. He said that after eventually obtaining one, he committed himself to reading between 15 and 20 chapters daily, an exercise that inspired him to abandon a career in Electrical Engineering and answer God’s call into pastoral ministry.

He particularly challenged young people to develop a strong commitment to the study of God’s Word, stressing that consistent Bible reading has the power to transform lives and reveal God’s purpose.

The cleric expressed concern over what he described as the failure of many Christians to apply the knowledge God has given them. He lamented that despite Nigeria’s abundant natural resources and numerous science and technology institutions, the nation still depends heavily on imported innovations, attributing the situation partly to believers who possess divine wisdom but fail to act on it.

Reading from Numbers 23:19-20, Rev. Taki reminded the congregation that God never fail to fulfil His promises. He said anyone who lacks God’s blessings should examine whether they are making use of what he described as the “open cheque” God has already made available to His children through His promises.

He further read 2 Peter 1:3, explaining that God’s divine power has made available everything believers need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him. He added that God has also promised grace, peace, good health and long life, but many people continue to perish because of their lack of knowledge of His truth.

Drawing from Genesis 1:28 and Ephesians 1:3, Rev. Taki said God gave mankind dominion over the earth from creation and has blessed believers with every spiritual blessing. He maintained that Satan is not greater than man, but Adam and Eve lost their authority through disobedience and lack of understanding. He urged Christians to study the Scriptures patiently and in faith so they can appropriate God’s promises in their daily lives.

The preacher concluded by encouraging members of the COCIN Worship Centre in Umuahia to strengthen their fellowship in love, saying genuine unity among believers would attract more people to Christ. He questioned why Christians, including husbands and wives, should be divided despite being in the same Spirit.

Also speaking, Rev. Stephen Zumyil, the leading pastor of COCIN LCC Eleme, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which gave birth to the worship center in Umuahia, urged the members to compose worship songs in Pidgin English to reach people who do not understand Hausa or English, saying such an approach would help draw more people into Christian worship.

COCIN Worship Center Umuahia is under LCC Eleme in Port Harcourt according to COCIN principles.