In order to emphasise the idea of what he called “violent sacrifice,” Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), told a personal tale from the church’s early years….CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
Adeboye remembers the dedication of his first home in the Redemption Camp while giving a sermon there. He clarified that the occasion, which attracted a number of people, taught a lesson about sincere sacrifice and contribution. Adeboye recalled, “I remember some of these people I’m talking about who came to the dedication on the day we were dedicating the church—I mean the house—when I moved to my first house in the camp.” “Ah, this must be the people who built the house,” several of my younger children thought.
He claims that the incident inspired him to make a daring statement in his speech that exposed the truth about how the house was actually constructed. “Anyone who had contributed up to 50 naira towards the building of this house, please stand so we can pray for you,” Adeboye recounted, after being moved to say it while speaking. He was surprised that nobody in the group got up.
“No one got up,” he remarked. “A good number of people had their heads down.” According to Adeboye, the experience served as a reminder of the extent of sacrifice necessary for both the ministry and the spiritual path. He introduced his future lesson on the idea of “violent sacrifice” using the testimonial. “So, when I’m going to—because I’m going to talk about violent sacrifice,” the cleric said, highlighting the fact that giving sacrificially above and beyond what is convenient is frequently the route to spiritual breakthroughs and long-lasting influence.
Adeboye, who is renowned for connecting biblical ideas with personal experiences, proposed that genuine sacrifice is rarely accepted by the masses but is always accepted by God. He asserted that “sacrifice that costs you nothing is not sacrifice.” “You gave what no one else was willing to give, and sometimes that’s why heaven opens over you.”
Many Christians, particularly those who are aware of RCCG’s transformation from a tiny fellowship to one of the biggest Pentecostal churches globally, have found great resonance in the story. The lesson learnt from that house dedication decades ago still serves as a reminder to Adeboye that painful obedience frequently results in divine favour. He emphasised that in addition to “violent prayer” and “violent praise,” there is also “violent sacrifice”—a form of giving that necessitates selflessness, bravery, and faith.
Adeboye asserted, “God responds violently in your favour when you give violently, not carelessly but sacrificially.” As the assembly listened, Adeboye cautioned that transformation cannot come from spectatorship without sacrifice and challenged believers to consider their own dedication to God. He said, “Don’t just come to celebrate.” “Be prepared to make a sacrifice. God himself will then give you honour….CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
