Overcoming Life's Obstacles Through Total Surrender to God's Command

Message Overview

The Friday First Service at Praise God Ministry in Kuwait begins with a warm welcome and congregational worship led by the worship team. Sister Aruna opens the service with prayer, thanking God for His protection over the past months and seeking His presence for the service. The congregation engages in praise, singing songs of exaltation including 'Najareyudaa Naa Yesayya'. Sister Yashoda reads the scripture passage from Psalm 126:1-6, highlighting how the Lord turns captivity into joy and how those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy.

Following worship, Sister Vijaya Kumari shares a moving testimony about her brother, testifying how God answered two years of persistent family prayer by granting him passage and employment in Kuwait despite severe medical and administrative hurdles. Afterwards, Sister Sunitha sings a special song titled 'Preminche Thandri', followed by Brother Philos leading the offering prayer and Pastor Pradeep Raju sharing weekly church announcements regarding Sunday youth and women's fellowship, communion, baptism services, and prayer requests.

Pastor Ratna Maitra delivers the main message titled 'Obstacles and Opportunities', focusing on the book of Joshua. She opens by reflecting on a recent event where an Indian pilot courageously saved over 170 passengers, illustrating how God places individuals in key positions to bring salvation and help. She stresses that real Christian faith is not demonstrated through loud declarations or religious performance, but through genuine Christ-like character, love, and integrity when facing trials.

Deepening her exposition of Joshua 5, Pastor Ratna outlines three critical spiritual steps before conquering Jericho:
1. Spiritual Circumcision at Gilgal (Joshua 5:1-9): Just as Israel had to be circumcised to roll away the reproach of Egypt, believers under the New Covenant must experience the circumcision of the heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 2:25-29). External religion is meaningless without inner purity, repentance, and freedom from worldly compromise.
2. Celebration of Passover and Partaking of the Land (Joshua 5:10-12): Israel celebrated Passover before eating the yield of Canaan, at which point the manna ceased. Believers are called to faithfully partake of the Lord's Table in remembrance of Christ's ultimate sacrifice on the cross (Luke 22, Matthew 26), which broke every curse and granted eternal life (Galatians 3:13-14).
3. Encounter with the Commander of the Lord's Army (Joshua 5:13-15): Joshua encounters a man standing with a drawn sword. When Joshua asks whose side He is on, the Lord responds that He comes as Commander of the Lord's army. The instruction to remove his sandal symbolizes surrendering personal control, rights, and human strength. Citing Ruth 4:7-8, Pastor Ratna explains the ancient custom of giving up one's sandal as a sign of transferring ownership or legal authority. When believers pray 'I can't do it, Lord You do it,' God steps in to fight their battles.

To illustrate unyielding trust during extreme trials, Pastor Ratna shares the testimony of Sadhu Sundar Singh, who was thrown into a dark well of decaying corpses in Nepal for preaching the Gospel but was miraculously rescued by an angel after praying in faith. She urges the congregation to stop relying on self-righteousness, human connections, or temporary compromises, and instead place full trust in the unchanging God.

The service concludes with Pastor Pinak Maitra and Pastor Ratna Maitra leading the congregation in closing prayer. They intercede for church members recovering from surgeries, families in crisis, unity within the body of Christ, peace among nations, and blessings upon the leaders of Kuwait, ending with the pastoral benediction.