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E.A. Adeboye
Enoch Adejare Adeboye (March 2, 1942 – N/A) is a Nigerian Christian preacher, mathematician, and influential leader widely recognized as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), one of Africa’s largest Pentecostal denominations. Born in Ifewara, Osun State, Nigeria, to a modest family—his father a farmer and his mother a trader—he grew up in poverty but excelled academically despite early hardships, including lacking shoes until age 18. He earned a B.Sc. in Mathematics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1967, an M.Sc. in Hydrodynamics from the University of Lagos in 1969, and a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics in 1975, later lecturing at the Universities of Lagos and Ilorin. Adeboye’s preaching career began after joining RCCG in 1973, seeking spiritual healing for his child, and accepting Christ in 1975. Ordained a pastor in 1977, he became General Overseer in 1981 following the death of RCCG founder Josiah Akindayode, transforming the church from a small Lagos-based group into a global movement with millions of members across over 190 countries. Known as “Daddy G.O.,” his sermons emphasize holiness, prayer, and prosperity, delivered at events like the monthly Holy Ghost Service and annual Holy Ghost Congress, drawing massive crowds. He authored over 60 books, including devotionals like Open Heavens, and oversaw RCCG’s expansion, including Redemption City (formerly Camp), a vast ministry hub. Married to Foluke Adenike Adeboye since 1967, with whom he has four children, Adeboye remains a towering figure in Pentecostal Christianity, blending intellectual rigor with spiritual authority.
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E.A. Adeboye emphasizes the importance of learning from past failures and successes to achieve future goals. He highlights the need to identify strengths, sustain them, and prevent future failures by understanding the reasons behind past mistakes. Using the example of Daniel, he illustrates how maintaining spiritual disciplines and virtues can lead to greater success in the future. Adeboye urges believers to make amends, cut off negative influences, and humbly acknowledge past successes to secure victories ahead.
Lessons From the Past
MEMORISE: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before.’ (Phil 3:13) READ: Philippians 3:12-15 Many people think Paul’s resolve to forget the past and to attain future tasks and heights means that one’s entire past should be forgotten. This is far from the truth. Anyone who wants to achieve his goal in life, must be able to learn effectively from his past failures and successes. He must find out why he failed or succeeded. And having identified his strengths, he must sustain them while taking steps to prevent future failures. Daniel was a most favoured Jewish captive in exile. He remained in the corridors of power and survived several kings and kingdoms. He was able to look in retrospect and trace his past successes to the fear of God, possession of an excellent spirit, hard work, revelation gifts of the Holy Spirit, prayers and fasting. With these, he maintained all his strengths so that, as he entered the reign of king Darius, they guaranteed him greater success for the future. Everyone has a past. Your past may be replete with mistakes and errors. You might have taken several decisions by trial and error that led to certain regrets. You might have kept the company of certain people, even so-called Christians, who negatively impacted upon you. If you really desire a favourable end, make amends where necessary. You may have to cut off that right hand behind your spiritual instability, or pluck out that right eye which appeared indispensable, in order to ensure a good future. Take steps to prevent repeating mistakes of the past. If you do not learn from the past, you will keep falling over the same stumbling block. Stop today, identify those stumbling blocks and come up with a recipe for removing them. Moreover, do not allow your past successes to go to your head. If thy do, they will rob you of greater victories ahead. So acknowledge your successes with humility, and a mind to increase them. Past lessons should become experiences to safeguard the future. ACTION POINT Identify ten reasons for past failures. Draw up an Action plan to prevent their reoccurrence in your life.
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Enoch Adejare Adeboye (March 2, 1942 – N/A) is a Nigerian Christian preacher, mathematician, and influential leader widely recognized as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), one of Africa’s largest Pentecostal denominations. Born in Ifewara, Osun State, Nigeria, to a modest family—his father a farmer and his mother a trader—he grew up in poverty but excelled academically despite early hardships, including lacking shoes until age 18. He earned a B.Sc. in Mathematics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1967, an M.Sc. in Hydrodynamics from the University of Lagos in 1969, and a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics in 1975, later lecturing at the Universities of Lagos and Ilorin. Adeboye’s preaching career began after joining RCCG in 1973, seeking spiritual healing for his child, and accepting Christ in 1975. Ordained a pastor in 1977, he became General Overseer in 1981 following the death of RCCG founder Josiah Akindayode, transforming the church from a small Lagos-based group into a global movement with millions of members across over 190 countries. Known as “Daddy G.O.,” his sermons emphasize holiness, prayer, and prosperity, delivered at events like the monthly Holy Ghost Service and annual Holy Ghost Congress, drawing massive crowds. He authored over 60 books, including devotionals like Open Heavens, and oversaw RCCG’s expansion, including Redemption City (formerly Camp), a vast ministry hub. Married to Foluke Adenike Adeboye since 1967, with whom he has four children, Adeboye remains a towering figure in Pentecostal Christianity, blending intellectual rigor with spiritual authority.