Pastor Promise Bright Karikari, the Middle-Belt Administrator of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM), at the weekend advised Christans to reflect, and use the festive season to build and deepen their intimacy with God.
He emphasised that pure and sanctified lives were indisputable traits that drew people closer to God and urged Christians to make moral uprightness and sanctification remained their hallmark as they searched for God.
Pastor Karikari gave the advice when he delivered a sermon on the topic: “Sanctification: The compulsory requirement for heavenly citizenship” at the youth division of the 2026 Global Easter Retreat of the Deeper Life Bible Church.
Hundreds of congregants, comprising youth, children and adults, drawn from the various divisions, districts and locations of the church are attending the five-day Retreat on the theme: “The Glory of Christ Resurrection”.
The retreat offers an opportunity for the congregants to listen to live sermons of Pastor Dr William F Kumuyi, the Founder and General Superintendent of the DCLM from the church headquarters in Nigeria via satellite.
Pastor Karikari noted that the celebration of Easter which reflected the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the captain of the Christian faith and mediator between God and sinful man would be irrelevant if Christians continue sinning.
He emphasised that sin, either committed deliberately or unknowingly cast a slur on Christendom, drew God afar from Christians, saying that Christians who engaged in earthly lusts, amusements and pleasures would not attract the blessings, but God’s displeasure.
Pastor Karikari referenced Psalm 42:1 and the gospel of Mathew 5:6 and urged the youth of the church to remain holy and upright, saying that they would never regret if they continuously lived a life of godliness and righteousness.
Delivering a sermon via satellite from the Church’s headquarters in Nigeria, Pastor Dr Kumuyi, also a renowned tele-evangelist and convener of the Global Crusade Kumuyi (GCK) highlighted the faithfulness of God.
He emphasised that God derived joy and happiness from absolute consecration, entire sanctification and transparent Christlikeness of His children, and urged church, as the spotless body of Christ, to consecrate themselves to the Lord.
Pastor Kumuyi said God expected Christians to observe and keep His statues, saying that “We can’t profess that we are sanctified in the heart and know God and our outside body is dirty”.