Bishop Odedeji advocates ceaseless prayers

The Bishop of Diocese of Lagos West Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), The Rt. Rev James Odedeji, has admonished Christians to pray ceaselessly because we are in perilous times.

He made this declaration at the opening ceremony of the annual Triumphant Convocation organised by the Diocese on Tuesday.

Odedeji charged Christians to distance themselves from those who abhor prayers.

“Please I urge you not to listen to anybody who tries to discourage you from praying. Prayer is our life. If we fail to pray, we will become vulnerable. Jesus must increase in our lives, we must decrease,” the cleric said.

According to him, the idea of the Triumphant Convocation came to him during his hibernation after his consecration nine years ago.

“During my meditation, it then crossed my mind that in a diocese as progressive as DLW, there should be a programme that will bring all members of the Diocese together and be blessed together,” he said.

Talking on the theme of the convocation, he said: “Our theme for this convocation is, ‘We are more than conquerors.’ I want to encourage us all to be expectant. You must also not doubt God and don’t look on any man for your blessings.”

In his sermon at the event, the Dean of the Cathedral, The Ven Ebenezer Adewole, who stood in for the Guest Speaker, the Lord Bishop of Jalingo, Rt. Rev. Foreman Inedison, encouraged the participants at the convocation to be people of faith.

“The believer is not deterred. He knows that what he sees are temporal. Faith does not bow to threats. A man of faith has no regard for obstacles,” he said.

Adewole also said that to be more than a conqueror is to be for signs and wonders.

According to him, “Signs are to follow us. We are not to run around looking for signs. By the word, signs and wonders are to follow us. Miracles are to follow us.”

Those who are more than conquerors, he said, must also run away from sin.

“Sin is a sinker,” he said.

He added that the ultimate for anybody who is more than a conqueror is to be born of God. “To be born of God is to follow the Lord. If you are not born of God, you are less than a conqueror. If you are born of God you are more than a conqueror,” Adewole said.