Ending With Joy, Honour and Gladness: A Divine Reversal at the Heart of Christian Hope

By Dr. Afolabi Olajuwon 

The Foursquare Gospel Church, Wuse District Headquarters, Abuja, ushered worshippers into a profoundly uplifting and mission-focused atmosphere during its Sunday service themed “Ending With Joy, Honour and Gladness.” The service, rich in worship, reflection, and biblical conviction, became a vivid reminder of God’s unchanging ability to rewrite human stories for His glory.

Under the ministry of Rev. M. C. Adebisi, the congregation encountered a stirring and theologically grounded sermon anchored on Esther 8:1–8, 15–18, among other relevant passages of Scripture. His message illuminated the divine pattern of reversal, how God transforms danger into royalty, fear into celebration, sorrow into joy, and shame into honour.

The service began with a deeply serene ambience as the choir rendered a spirit-lifting worship session marked by harmony, reverence, and spiritual intensity. The music prepared the hearts of worshippers to receive the Word with expectation, reminding all present that worship is not simply a prelude but an invitation into God’s sacred presence.

Rev. Adebisi’s sermon journeyed through the pages of Esther, drawing parallels between Israel’s moment of crisis and the believer’s contemporary struggles. He highlighted that God’s sovereignty over human affairs is not diminished by threats, delays, or demonic decrees. Esther 3 was examined to contrast danger with God’s ultimate intervention, setting the stage for the dramatic transformation in Esther 8.

In Esther 8, a decree of destruction is overturned, a new law is written, and Mordecai, once dressed in sackcloth, is adorned in royal garments and crowned with honour (Esther 8:15). This narrative, he explained, is not merely historical; it is theological, revealing a God who “turns the clock around,” replacing sorrow with celebration and shame with honour.

Rev. Adebisi outlined key spiritual principles that positioned Esther and the Jewish people for divine elevation:

Obedience: Esther’s willingness to act courageously and sacrificially aligned her with God’s redemptive plan.

Prayer: The united intercession of the Jews invited divine intervention into a hopeless situation.

Trust in God: Their confidence in God’s faithfulness became the bridge between despair and deliverance.

Righteous Living: Their commitment to God’s standards secured His favour and sustained His presence.

Divine Vindication: Those who once mocked the Jews became the very witnesses to their celebration, an expression of the vastness of God’s power.

Drawing from Psalm 35, he emphasized that God delights in fighting for His people and in giving victory to the righteous.

A central conviction of the message was that a believer’s end is not determined by their beginning but by their relationship with God and their submission to His decisions. Rev. Adebisi reminded the church that God does not abandon His own, and no battle or delay has the authority to define the final chapter of a child of God.

In the story of Esther, we find a profound declaration of Christian hope: what was meant for destruction became the platform for exaltation. A decree of death became a decree of life. Tears gave way to gladness, and garments of mourning were exchanged for robes of royalty.
“When God commands a reversal,” he noted, “tears dry up, garments change, and destiny shines again.”

The service concluded with an invitation for believers to renew their faithfulness to God and for seekers to surrender their lives to Christ. Rev. Adebisi affirmed that everyone who walks with God will end well, end strong, and end with joy, because God Himself writes the final chapter.

In a world marked by uncertainty, pressure, and complex human challenges, the message of Esther 8 offers a timeless declaration:
God still has the power to reverse decrees, restore destinies, and crown His people with honour.

No matter how a season begins, God’s people can trust Him for an ending filled with joy, honour, and gladness.

Dr. Afolabi Olajuwon is a freelance writer and Christian educator based in Abuja, Nigeria, with a passion for documenting faith-based initiatives and their impact on communities.

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