Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! (Ps 133:1)
On Saturday, the 17th of February, the Glasgow Church Prayer Ministries Team, under the leadership of Sister Ogechi Uchechukwu-Nwosu, organised its first quarter Night of Prayer. Approximately 30 members attended, from the very young to the young at heart, all looking forward to sharing insights from the Word, praying, singing, and sharing testimonies of God’s leading and blessings in their lives.
The evening started with a time of praises and thanksgivings, with the focus on Revelation 1:5-8. The members had the opportunity to share testimonies about God’s healing, His provision for studies, for better jobs, His blessings in workplace challenges, and His leading in the call to ministry. As the evening continued, Brother Alex Baguma spoke about God’s solution to sin, Jesus’s full surrender in Gethsemane, and the invitation for all of us to allow the Holy Spirit to change our hearts. It was highlighted that while we can bring others to Jesus, we cannot change their hearts; this must be the work of God in them.
Sister Cynthia spoke about prayer and fasting. She highlighted that fasting is a form of worship and when done to the glory of God, it brings many blessings in return. While praying and fasting in difficult times might lead us to think that we will get the answers we desire, conversations centred around the fact that God doesn’t always respond affirmatively to our prayers. In these times, we have a choice to either let those difficult times define us, discourage us, or refine us.
Sister Samu asked, “What is faith?” to which the members answered that faith is trusting in God, believing in His promises, not looking at circumstances but looking at Jesus only. One definition has been that “Faith is expecting the Word of God to do what it says and depending upon that Word to do what it says” (RH, Dec 27,1898). Peter’s example of faith when walking on water has been encouraging, but also his experience of failure to continue that walk of faith has been a warning to the participants, not to let pride and self-sufficiency, desire to be seen by others, or fear of the surrounding circumstances draw our eyes away from Jesus. Some testimonies shared were about how God, in answer to the prayer of faith, provided means through which members could be a blessing to others in need and how God provided a better job opportunity and guidance through the process.
Elder Regimon invited those present to reflect on the prayer life of Jesus. Some key points raised were that through his prayer life Jesus maintained his relationship with the Father. He got up early in the morning and sought to spend time in prayer in solitude, away from the usual distractions. He also sought His Father’s face for the entire night at times. While we are living in a time of much busyness and the challenge is to find that time to spend with God, He can help us to be good stewards of our time and to seek Him for that time of fellowship which strengthens our personal connection with Him.
Pastor Claudiu concluded the night by saying that prayer unites us and extended an encouragement to be like the wise virgins who seek a personal connection with God that will lead to heart transformation. He emphasised that salvation starts when we accept Jesus as our Savior but continues with the process of sanctification through which God gives us victory over sin. There is always a danger that having much head knowledge about Bible doctrines might cause us to feel secure in our Christian walk, but that knowledge must also lead to a transformation of our characters to reflect the fruit of the Spirit. He encouraged Glasgow Church members to continue in prayer, concluding that each one of us can be channels for revival.
Prayers were said for the youth and their spiritual growth, for the Adventurers and Pathfinders Bible Experience, for the sick, for a new church space, since the Sanctuary is becoming too small to accommodate the increasing number of people attending the worship services, for the different projects of each Department, for the various needs of the members, and for the outreach project currently in planning for 2024 - Impact Glasgow.
Sister Cynthia expressed that for her the Night of Prayer had been an uplifting experience, and she felt blessed by each of the presentations. She feels encouraged to reflect on the work of Christ on the Cross, to fast and pray, and to keep steadfast in her faith, reassured that the same God who reigns in times of triumph is ever-present in the valleys of life.
Elder Regimon said that the Saturday night prayer gathering had been a truly remarkable experience! “Coming together with like-minded individuals to share testimonies and engage in thought-provoking discussions was truly inspiring. Each small talk presented by different individuals sparked meaningful conversations, and it was amazing to see everyone actively participating.”
Sister Ogechi, Leader of the Prayer Ministries Team, felt that the night of prayer had been a time of spiritual reawakening and refreshing. “Members who participated were really happy they came, and we thank God for the many outstanding testimonies shared. These were a great source of inspiration to many of us.” Sister Ogechi continues to pray for God to grant strength and grace as we set apart nights like this to seek His face.
Sister Blandine said, “I was particularly amazed, inspired, and motivated by the powerful testimonies from the brethren during the prayer night as the different stories brought me more peace, hope, and assurance in Jesus Christ. I enjoyed the significant moments of praise and thanksgiving we had as well as the lessons from the different presentations. We were exhorted to remain faithful as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the same God we serve. He has never changed and works in a powerful way in the lives of those who hold on to Him unlike the vicissitudes of life. We also learned more on crucial biblical topics such as the story of redemption. Fasting is another concept that was developed as we were reminded of its importance as it helps us put our flesh under the authority of the Holy Spirit. I was truly blessed and can't wait for the next prayer night. I pray and hope that God uses this prayer gathering as a channel through which He will bring revival to the Glasgow church.”
