Churches across Nigeria held religious services form late in the night of Saturday January 31 (2022) into the morning of Sunday January 1, 2023 to usher in the New Year.
Religious leaders asked Nigerians to be grateful to God for the grace of seeing the New Year and exhorted them to display the fear of God and love of neighbour in their daily lives.
They likewise asked the nation’s political leaders to show love for all and be conscientious in governance.
They further prayed for peace and prosperity in the country.
Pastor Daniel Kolawole Olukoya of the Mountain of Fire And Miracle Ministries, in a New Year message beamed across the country, advised Nigerians to subdue the flesh, which he described as the source of most of the troubles of mankind.
He said the flesh manifests in inordinate ambition, ego, desires and lust.
Olukoya added, “While the flesh is in control of life, it struggles with the spirit. It controls, it enforces, it debates, it whispers, it fights. It is the enemy within the camp.”
He further observed, “Your greatest enemy is not the devil or witches or wizards, it is you, your flesh. God says subject your flesh under me, it is hindering the move of my spirit.
“You may be proud, or have a bad temper or have lustful eyes or you may be a thief. Your flesh is the greatest prison yard. If you mortify your flesh, majority of your battles are over. The devil is continuously looking for open doors. The flesh is the open door. Mortify your flesh. Make sure it doesn’t control or destroy your life.”
On the year 2023, Olukoya said, “Anytime you see the number 23 in the bible, it conveys the idea of the death and resurrection. Some things need to die in your life for you to fulfil your destiny.”
He further advised Nigerians to be up and doing in the New Year, saying, “This is a year to wage a very serious war against the spirit of procrastination. All those good things you’ve been planning to do, don’t procrastinate.”
He exhorted Nigerians to pray against lack and farming and said God would humble the proud this year and that “a lot of uncompleted destiny projects will be completed.”
