…Urges Nigerians to support military, other security agencies
Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), on Sunday said his passion for the military was halted by his mother.
He urged Nigerians to appreciate and support the efforts of the military and other security agencies in combating insecurity across the country.
According to the Vanguard, Pastor Adeboye said this at the church’s monthly Thanksgiving Service and special prayers for security personnel held at the national headquarters of the church, Throne of Grace Parish, Ebute-Meta, Lagos. The theme of the programme was “Vessels unto Honour.”
Adeboye said: “I wanted to be a soldier; it was my mother who didn’t allow me. And I told her I wanted to join the army after I graduated she said, “you are my only son, I am not asking you not to join the army just wait till I die and you have buried me, then you can do whatever you want to.” That was in the 1960s and by the time she died in 1990, it was already too late for me to join the army.
“But I love the army. Maybe another time I will tell you the reasons why. As I love the army, I watch every film, cinema, and everything that has to do with the army. And I am telling you I saw what changed the civilian to the iron Man. You see them in beautiful dresses, they look nice, and maybe you should check from the day they enlisted till the day they came to match in ceremonial dress. You will know what hardness, and endurance is.
“There are some people in this nation that we don’t give enough credit to, the soldiers, the paramilitary and the police. We are supposed to constantly commit them into the hand of God. The Almighty God will watch over them, He will take care of their families in the morning, afternoon and night; God will support them, fight their battles and make them more than conquerors all the time.”
Praying for the security personnel, Adeboye said:”I thank God for all my brothers and sisters in the paramilitary, the police who are here, they are examples of vessels into honour and I pray you will remain vessels into honour for ever. I want to tell you one thing that if nobody is praying for you, I am praying because I appreciate your value. I know what you stand for.”
Enumerating requirements for being a vessel unto honour, pastor Adeboye in his sermon said: “In the army of God, there is no room for floppiness, you have to be sharp all the time, you want to be vessel of honour in the hands of God, you will love fasting more than you love food.
When you come to Jesus Christ the life of discipline begins and 100 per cent surrender to Jesus Christ. Be constant in season and out of season. They said it in another way, the price of safety is unrelenting vigilance. You must be on your toes 24/7.
“Ask the police, the military personnel, they will tell you wherever they are posted to, they were there at the moment, at the pleasure of your commander. The signal comes from above instantly you are on the move. That is the way it should be for vessels unto honour.
“One of the advantages of being vessels unto honour is that the master is constantly touching you. When God touches you, you get the strength that human beings cannot explain. You suddenly get strength that nobody can explain. You get your strength renewed in such a way that it will embarrass those around you.
Also speaking, Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Babatunde Farinloye, thanked the leadership of RCCG for organising the prayer while he also renewed its unit commitment to reduce road crashes to the barest level in Lagos state.
Farinloye also advised motorists to strictly adhere to traffic rules and regulations as the rainy season approaches. He enjoined them against excessive speeding, reckless driving, wrongful overtaking, driving under the influence of intoxicating substances to avoid mishaps.
