Pursue fruitfulness in 2021 — Mensa Otabil to Christians

Pastor Mensa Otabil, the General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), has urged Christians to faithfully pursue fruitfulness in the year 2021.

He noted God wants his children to be fruitful (productive) in all spheres of life, so that it would glorify him (God).

Dr Otabil said this in his homily during the 31st December Crossover Watch Night Service at the ICGC Christ Temple Auditorium, Abossey Okai, Accra,

The annual event, which used to be held at either the Independence Square or the Accra Sports Stadium, this year, had to be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking on the theme “Fruitfulness”, Dr Otabil used the biblical story of Noah, who spend 120 years building an arch and preaching the need for humanity to turn to God in righteousness; and how Noah together with his family (eight souls) were saved by God through the arch when the devastating flood came upon all the earth.

He said Noah's situation was similar to the Coronavirus pandemic, which had devastated the whole world; stating that after the devastating flood, Noah had to make a new beginning in life.

He said after the flood, Noah, offered thanksgiving sacrifice to God, and that God was pleased with him and gave him a promise and a sign (a rainbow) and then God told him that while the earth remains there would be seedtime and harvest time.

“Tonight we are like those who stepped out of the arch after the flood; I am aware that the danger of the coronavirus has not fully passed.

We still have to maintain our vigilance, protect ourselves from infection, keep the protocols; however, every human being who lived through 2020 is stepping out of one of the most devastating years in our modern lives,” he said.

“The effect will not end this year (2020), it will continue next year and for many years because so much has gone wrong.”

Dr Otabil said when Noah stepped out of the arch, in spite of all that had been lost, he made a sacrifice to God; saying “and that is why at the end of every year in spite of everything that had happened, we still sacrifice to God. We thank him and we honour him”.

The General Overseer said, God assured Noah that “even if nothing is fruitful, as for you, you must be fruitful”.

He said that was the word that God wants to give Christians in a year of fruitfulness.

“We don't know what 2021 will unload on the earth, but as for us we will be fruitful. COVID may still be around and it may still be wrecking some havoc but as for us we will be fruitful,” he said.

“Some businesses may fold up and we may hear some news in the business world that will chill our hearts but as for us we will be fruitful.”

Dr Otabil said Noah understood that fruitfulness requires that he had to do something and so he went and planted a vineyard.

He said prior to Noah becoming a farmer, he was a carpenter, who was building the arch and a preacher, but after the flood, he had to make a new beginning by becoming a farmer.

“So, I challenge you in the year of fruitfulness, you will begin to do something fruitful.”

He noted that after the flood, Noah had to leave the arch and resume his life; saying “I tell each and every one of you, you have to resume your life”.

“It is time to resume you schedule; it is time to resume going back to church in person. I say it is time to resume going back to church in person. Come out of the arch, because we have to begin.”

“Begin again, you were knocked down but get up and begin again. Your business collapsed, get up and begin again. You lost your investment, get up and begin. Something didn't work, get up and begin. Don't just complain and complain and blame COVID-19,” he said.

“Your marriage needs to be built and repaired; children need to be built and repaired. Careers need to be built and repaired. Finances need building and repairing in the year of fruitfulness. We will be like Noah; we are going to begin.”

He advised those who were successful in 2020, not to rest on their oars and that they should rather begin something new in 2021; saying “just like we were shocked in 2020, you have no idea what 2021 will bring”.

---GNA