7TH JULY 2019 SERMON
What is this life?
A Tribute to My Late Wife, Evang. Helen Titilayo Okoye
My message today is a tribute to my late wife, Helen Titilayo Okoye. In our text, the bible admonishes us thus, “ Look here, you people who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to such and such a town, stay there a year, and open up a profitable business.” How do you know what is going to happen tomorrow? For the length of your lives is as uncertain as the morning fog—now you see it; soon it is gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we shall live and do this or that.” Otherwise you will be bragging about your own plans, and such self-confidence never pleases God. Remember, too, that knowing what is right to do and then not doing it is sin” [James 4:13-17LB].
She took her relationship with God very seriously and did her best to be her best:
When I walk past her prayer room every morning, I remember that by that time she would have been there praying. Sometimes I wondered when she had had the time to sleep because she was always communing with God in prayer and fasting. She once even developed ulcer as a result her ceaseless fasting. 1Tiimothy 4: 9-16, 1Corinthians 9: 24 – 27, Mark 1: 35, Matthew 5: 6, Philippians 3:10 – 14, Daniel 11:32
Highlights
She was a passionate worshiper of God
My wife was a worshiper to the core. We should emulate this attitude from her. She worshipped God with all her heart. Sometimes, when we went to high profile meetings, I am embarrassed at how she would lay on the floor with her beautiful clothes in worship. And when I confront her, she would always refer me to the book of 2 Samuel: 6:14, 23 where the bible said “14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly garment’’[TLB]. In verse 23, the bible recorded that Michal was barren all her life because she mocked David for dancing the way he did.
She was a prayer warrior
In fact, she was a praying machine. She almost drove me crazy with her ceaseless attempt to force everyone to cultivate the attitude to praying like her. I constantly reminded her that that was the grace of God upon her life; to be able to pray the way she did. This is one of the things that move me to tears when I think about her. She stood by me in prayer. There is a testimony she was fond of sharing about one of the head of witches in Gboko, Benue State, who approached Rev. Tsee’s wife and told her that, she had succeeded in messing up all other ministers in Gboko but whenever she came to attack me, she found my wife shielding me.
She was totally sold out to God
Mummy was zealous and longed for God’s power in her life, her ministry and ACFM. She passionately desired the advancement of the kingdom and lived for it. “After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples. It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple… “ Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures
She was a passionate soul winner
She was a passionate evangelist who went out to the streets with her prayer team three times a week for soul wining. They did not just fast and pray; she made sure soul winning was core to the ministry. Mummy had always said that, the only revelation she has had confirming the call of God on her life, was an audible voice she heard which was like a raging sea; telling her to go into the world and preach the gospel. And ever since, she has been passionately committed to soul winning. It’s my prayer that we sustain this ministry because that is a ministry nearest to God’s heart.