A former Minister of State and an elder at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Sakumono, Hon. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has urged Ghanaians to be desirous of knowing Jesus Christ who can turn around their lives to positively affect society.

“Whenever you have an encounter with God, something extraordinary or supernatural will happen to you,” he said.

Preaching at the PIWC Sakumono on Sunday, April 8, 2018, Elder Ofosu Ampofo urged Christians to remain in Christ who is the Author and Finisher of their faith.

“To remain in Christ, you need to have an encounter with Him [Christ],” he said, adding, “An encounter is to meet someone unexpectedly- it could be a meeting that comes by chance; you can run into somebody and have an encounter with that person also.”

He listed many characters in the Bible who had an encounter with the Lord. Their encounters, he said, brought about great things in their lives.

Elder Ofosu Ampofo quoted Genesis 18:1; 17; 1-3 and explained that Abraham had several encounters with God and this resulted in the promises of goodwill, promises of prosperity and eternal glory.

“In Mark 5:1-20, a man who had many demons had an encounter with Jesus and was liberated,” he pointed out.

According to him, an encounter with Jesus brings good news that is why the man [the demon-possessed] became an evangelist in Decapolis.

Hon. Ofosu Ampofo also narrated the Samaritan woman’s encounter with Jesus at the well and the encounter of Saul with Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus and how it changed his life forever to become a pillar in the house of God.

He further spoke about Peter’s encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ at the shores of the Sea of Galilee and how Christ changed his profession as a fisherman to become a church leader.

Zacchaeus, a tax collector, he said, who was also hated by many but found great conviction and repentance when he encountered Jesus.

He indicated that all those who encountered Jesus gave up something for a better life.

For instance, he said, Peter gave out his boat and chose to obey the Lord’s instruction to cast out the net again; Zacchaeus pledged to pay back four-fold all that he had taken from people through fraudulent means; while the Samaritan woman left her water jar and rushed to the city to call others to come and see Jesus, the Messiah.

“Have you encountered Jesus? What is your story? Have you shared your story? What are you holding on to?” He asked while exhorting believers not to behave like the rich young ruler who could not obey the Lord’s instruction to sell off his property and follow Him.

The former MP also urged society no to behave like Lot’s wife who could not forgo her possessions for her life.

“While Zacchaeus was prepared to put his wealth at the disposal of the Lord, the rich young ruler held on to it,” he said.

He also urged Christians who have had an encounter with the Lord to go out and share their stories by preaching the gospel of Christ as commanded in the Great Commission in Mark 15:16.

After the sermon, Deaconess Mary Addae Munumkum led the congregation in a time of prayer.

Report by Isabella Gyau Orhin