The President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Reverend Israel Akanji has dedicated a new church building, Triumphant Baptist Church (a.k.a. Holy Ghost Compound) in Akowonjo, Lagos.

Speaking on the theme: “A Glorious Rehoboth” taken from Gen. 26:22; 2 Chron. 7:15-16; Eph. 2:18-22 and Peter 2:5, Akanji said the name, Rehoboth, was given by Isaac and it means ‘the Lord has given us room and we shall flourish in it.’

Describing Rehoboth as a product of struggles, opposition and trials in the life of Isaac, Akanji said Isaac planted crops in that land and prospered because the Lord blessed him, not because he was the best farmer.

Enjoining Christians to expect envy from people around them, especially when God blesses and prospers them, Akanji noted: “When the Lord chooses to bless you nobody can do anything about it. Isaac became very rich and his crops continued to grow until he became very wealthy. He has so many flocks, herds and servants that the Philistines envied him.

“As you get bigger, expand and grow, expect envy because it is natural, it is common and so as you aspire, pray for promotion or Lord’s lifting, you are asking for more envy and so when envy comes do not be surprised. The Philistines demonstrated their own envy to Isaac by depriving him of water and sending him away from the well, but Isaac moved and encamped in a place not far away from Gerar.”

The Reverend described Isaac as a man of peace, adding that in all that King Abimelech and his people did to him, he never retaliated; he forgave the people. He urged Christians to emulate him by forgiving those who have wronged them.
He said: “The Church had some crises when it began and things went bitter. There were tears, police involvement, arrest of individual, among others; today,we can say, we have passed through ‘Esek and Sitnah’ this means the devil has lost the battle and God has won.

“Abimelech and his people came to visit Isaac where he was and Isaac said ‘why are you here because you drove me away.’ They said to him, ‘we saw clearly that the Lord was with you and we have come to plead with you not to do us harm, for you are blessed of the Lord.’ And I want to say that the church premises is a ‘Holy Ghost Compound,’ if Holy Ghost is allowed to work in us, we will not bear the wounds of Sitnah and Esek, but the joy of Rehoboth.

“We are to reconcile our differences with our brethren and see ourselves as brothers and sisters again. We are not to act like Cain and Abel or Esau and Jacob or Isaac and Ismail, but to emulate Joseph who embraced his brothers who wronged him and they lived together,” Akanji noted.
In his address,Pastor of the church, Rev’d Sunday Oladejo, attributed the successful completion of the building to God’s faithfulness and grace, noting that Triumphant Baptist Church established on March 24, 1996 under the leadership of Rev’d Julius Adenijihad experience a lot events that have impacted its trajectory and growth.

He noted that some of the challenges even threatened its spiritual evolution, saying despite all,God in His infinite grace and power has given us victory.

Oladejo commended the pastorate, the deaconate, church council and members for their labour of love and prayed for them to be handsomely rewarded.

The event featured the presentation of awards to some peoplewho have immensely contributed to the progress and growth of the church.