Christians urged to allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen them

Accra, May 23, GNA - Reverend Father Abeiku Apprey, Assistance Parish Priest at the Saint Kizito Catholic Church, Nima, on Sunday urged Christians to allow the Holy Spirit to always strengthen them to be courageous and to stand the test of any temptation. He said the Holy Spirit filled God's people with knowledge, understanding, wisdom, counsel, fortitude, piety and the fear of the Lord, which transformed them to new beings.

Rev. Father Apprey said this in a sermon to mark the celebration of Pentecost Day at the Church. The Day is celebrated 50 days after Easter each year. He said the celebration of Pentecost Day marked the end of Easter and that before Jesus Christ ascended into heaven he made a promise to his Apostles saying: "I am going but I will send the Holy Spirit, the advocate and the spirit of truth to lead you to the complete route."

Rev. Father Apprey, therefore, said Pentecost Day is the fulfillment of the promise Jesus Christ gave to his apostles. He reiterated that the Holy Spirit is a living God that would melt us, mould us, fill us and use us to preach the good news to all if only we believe with our whole being. Rev. Father Apprey urged Christians to have faith in God and act according to the dictates of God's commandments since that was the only way to gain salvation.

Rev. Nicholas Afriyie, Secretary to the Catholic Bishops Conference, said the gift of the Holy Spirit empowered us to be strong and persevered in the lord irrespective of any temptation that befell us. "We will not be afraid of witches or wizards as Christians when we are filled with the Holy Spirit because the Spirit of God surpasses any power on Earth" he added.

Rev. Afriyie admonished Christians to inculcate the spirit of unity saying "for it is in unity that we stand and divided we fall." He said the Apostles were together praying in the upper room when the Holy Spirit manifested on them and that we needed to stand firm devoid of jealousy, greediness and things that would prevent us from receiving the grace of God. Rev. Afriyie appealed to all and sundry to pray for mother Ghana and put the interest of the nation first and added that people should remember God in everything they did.

Mr Joseph Gyisaw, President of St. Kizito Parish Pastoral Council (PPC), said the spirits of Adam and Eve, which were in constant communion with God died because of their sins of disobedience. As a result, he said, Jesus Christ came through the Holy Spirit to regenerate the falling spirit of man to enable Him (Jesus) to re-establish the broken relationship. He said the Spirit of God helped us to have constant and perpetual fellowship with God and that we needed the Spirit to direct and to inspire us to do the will of God through faith.