OVERTURE 2025 WITH APOSTLE EMMANUEL IREN

·30 min·3 clips

Pastor Iren exposes a Bible text most charismatic churches avoid because it rocks their theological boat.

Pastor Emmanuel Iren opens by greeting Celebration Church International's global branches across over 44 centers. He states the sermon will be built on three key scriptures: James 4:13-14, Jeremiah 10:23, and Psalm 20:7. Iren begins with James, highlighting verses that describe human life as a vapor and critiquing those who make plans without acknowledging God's will. He asserts that many charismatic Pentecostal churches avoid this text because it challenges their theology. Iren explains that watch night services are a 'corporate admission of helplessness,' emphasizing human dependence on God. He moves to Jeremiah 10:23, which states that humans cannot direct their own steps, illustrating this with anecdotes about a health coach who died young and a COVID-cautious relative who got infected. Iren then discusses Psalm 20:7, contrasting those who trust in chariots and horses with believers who remember God's name. He delves into the Hebrew word 'zakah' for remember, meaning to bring the past into the present. Iren uses the story of Jesus rebuking his disciples in Matthew 16 for forgetting the miracles of the loaves and fishes to argue that God's past actions are permanent assurances. He encourages the congregation to practice 'spiritual stock-taking' by recalling past deliverances. Iren introduces the concept of 'Ebenezer' from 1 Samuel 7:12, explaining it as a stone of help that serves as a memorial. He outlines four ways God taught remembrance: Passover, manna in a jar, songs, and altars. Iren details four principles of Ebenezer: thanksgiving, repentance and devotion, boundary markers for new beginnings, and prophecy. He declares 2026 a year of recovery for lost ground and a time for new consecration. Iren leads the congregation in confessions and prayers, applying Ebenezer to health, finances, career, and ministry. He closes with Psalm 27, encouraging prioritization of devotion, and wishes the church a happy new year.

As heard by us

A New Year sermon on humility, remembered deliverance, and courage rooted in gratitude.

Pastor Emmanuel Iren frames the new year as a moment for humility, gratitude, and steadier trust in God's sovereignty. Speaking to Celebration Church International's connected branches, he roots the sermon in James 4, Jeremiah 10, and Psalm 20, then presses a simple point: plans…

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Why you'd press play

You want to enter the year with Psalm 20, remembered rescues, and a fresh priority for devotion.

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