I have been a member of the Royalhouse Chapel for all my adult life, I have had the opportunity to participate in many of the church’s events and activities. The Week of the Altar, a 21-day holiday of prayer and fasting presided over by Apostle General Sam Korankye-Ankrah, is one that particularly stands out to me.
A little background, in as much as I mentioned I have been a member of the church, I wasn’t as dedicated to the Week of the Altar as I should have and this was mainly because I was basically ignorant of the role of God in my life until I was exposed to a certain kind of experience that God showed up and I started being dedicated by understanding why I need to worship and be in church and that was where I encountered the presence of God.
That was then that I understood why we say in Royalhouse Chapel, “The King has been waiting for you.”
Years before I participated in the Week of the Altar, I felt lost and aimless. I wanted purpose in my life, but I couldn’t identify exactly what I was looking for. I existed without direction, missing the love of someone I couldn’t reach, wanting something that I couldn’t quite put into words. But through prayer and my participation in the Week of the Altar, everything changed. I found spiritual peace and a sense of purpose that had been missing before. I discovered the joy of a personal relationship with my Creator and the transformative power of the Bible.
Last year in January 2022, I had the privilege again of participating in the Week of the Altar and it was an incredible experience that has had a lasting impact on my faith and my daily life. One of my most significant takeaways was the deepening of my relationship with God. Throughout the 21 days, I found myself in constant communication with Him through prayer and fasting. Something that really struck me was the sense of immediate feedback I received in my prayers. No matter what I asked or said, I always felt like I received something back – a sense of understanding, connection, and even the manifestation of my prayers in my daily life.
This experience has helped to strengthen my faith in a way that I can’t quite put into words. It’s as if every conversation with God is like conquering a mountain – no matter the subject, I feel a sense of liberation and victory. And I think that’s because God knows us entirely and cannot misinterpret or misunderstand us, unlike our conversations with other humans.
As I reflect on my experience at the Week of the Altar, I’m also reminded of the differences between my relationships with people and my relationship with God. Talking to people can be exhausting at times, because we often don’t see the world through the same lens. Every word has a different meaning and intensity, and it can be difficult to find understanding and connection. But with God, that’s not an issue. He gets us fully and provides a sense of understanding and connection that we may not find in our relationships with others.
If you’re interested in experiencing the transformative power of the Week of the Altar for yourself, I highly recommend joining us at the Royalhouse Chapel from January 9 to January 29, 2023.
You can join online also on FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE and TWITTER.
The theme for this year’s prayer and fasting festival is “the blood will speak,” and I have no doubt that it will be an enriching and powerful time of connection with God. I hope to see you there!