By Dr. Afolabi Olajuwon
Amid the burdens of personal hardship, family anxiety and national uncertainty, Nigerians have been encouraged to remain prayerful and trust God to transform their seasons of affliction into testimonies of divine elevation.
Rev. (Mrs.) Olusola Idowu delivered the charge on Sunday, September 20, 2026, during a worship service at the Foursquare Gospel Church, Wuse District Headquarters, Abuja.
Speaking after a spirit-filled praise and worship session led by the church choir, Rev. Mrs. Idowu delivered a passionate sermon and prayer ministration titled, “Lift Up My Head, O Lord.”
Drawing her central message from Psalm 3:1–4, she recalled the anguish of David when adversaries multiplied around him and many declared that there was no help for him in God. Yet, surrounded by hostility, David confidently proclaimed: “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.”
Rev. Idowu explained that a bowed head often represents sorrow, humiliation, oppression, rejection or disappointment. However, when God lifts a person’s head, shame gives way to honour, weakness receives strength, and despair is replaced by hope.
“When human strength fails and the road appears closed, God remains the shield of His people and the lifter of their heads,” she declared.
From Affliction to Elevation:
She cited several biblical figures whose circumstances changed through faith, obedience and persistent prayer.
She recalled how Abraham and Sarah held on to God’s promise through years of barrenness until Isaac was born. Hannah also refused to surrender to the pain of childlessness and the provocation of her rival. She poured out her soul before God and eventually became the mother of Samuel.
Rev. Idowu further recalled how Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed after receiving a message concerning his death. God heard his prayer, saw his tears and added 15 years to his life, as recorded in 2 Kings 20:1–6.
Joseph’s journey, she observed, demonstrated that no pit is deep enough and no prison strong enough to cancel a divine purpose. Betrayed by his brothers and falsely accused in Egypt, Joseph eventually moved from imprisonment to prominence.
She also highlighted the courage of Jochebed, who preserved the infant Moses during Pharaoh’s campaign against Hebrew children, and the compassion of Pharaoh’s daughter, whose intervention helped protect the future deliverer of Israel.
Esther similarly rose from obscurity to royalty and risked her life to intercede for her people. Job, after losing his possessions, children and health, remained anchored in God and ultimately experienced restoration.
Referring to Naaman’s healing in 2 Kings 5, she said obedience opened the door to the miracle that human status and material wealth could not purchase.
“These testimonies teach us that delay does not mean abandonment, and adversity does not have the final word,” she said. “When God decides to lift a person, neither the pit nor the prison can prevent the fulfilment of His purpose.”
Greed and Disobedience Can Destroy Destiny:
Rev. Idowu also warned that divine elevation requires obedience, integrity and spiritual discipline.
She contrasted the victories of faithful biblical figures with the tragic consequences suffered by those who surrendered to greed. Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, pursued material gain through deception and inherited Naaman’s leprosy, as recorded in 2 Kings 5:20–27. Judas Iscariot also allowed greed and betrayal to overtake his calling, ultimately ending his life in tragedy.
According to her, greed may offer temporary gain, but it eventually destroys character, relationships and destiny.
Rev. Idowu urged believers not to abandon the place of divine assignment merely because of hardship. Drawing inspiration from Ruth, she stressed that steadfastness, sacrifice and loyalty often precede elevation.
“God cannot lift the life we continually withdraw from His hands,” she said. “We must carry our burdens to Jesus, resist daily temptations and remain where God has planted us.”
Testimony of Divine Deliverance:
Sharing a personal testimony, Rev. Idowu recalled a troubling vision in which she found herself trapped in a coffin, which she interpreted as a spiritual attack arising from opposition connected to people they had served.
Rather than surrender to fear, she said she persisted in prayer until God granted deliverance and enabled her family to continue fulfilling its divine assignment.
She therefore encouraged worshippers not to interpret opposition as proof of abandonment. Sometimes, she noted, resistance arises because a life carries a purpose that darkness seeks to frustrate.
“A coffin prepared by the enemy cannot contain a destiny preserved by God,” she declared. “The God who called you is able to defend you and bring His purpose to completion.”
Church Prays for Families and Nigeria:
The sermon culminated in an intensive corporate prayer session for divine defence.
Members of families held hands as the congregation prayed for God to defend His Church within individuals, homes and communities. Special prayers were offered against immorality, marital crises, financial misconduct, premature death, spiritual decline, witchcraft and destructive speech.
The church also prayed for healing, relief from heavy personal burdens and restoration for people passing through difficult circumstances.
Extending the intercession beyond the congregation, Rev. Idowu prayed for Nigeria and asked God to grant the country responsible leadership, peace and protection from decisions capable of leading the nation astray. Prayers were similarly offered for Africa, Asia and other parts of the world experiencing conflict, oppression and instability.
Referencing Psalm 145:14, she reminded the congregation that the Lord upholds those who fall and raises those who are bowed down. She also affirmed the promise of Psalm 29:11 that God gives strength to His people and blesses them with peace.
Faith Must Produce Responsibility:
Rev. Idowu concluded by emphasising that prayer must be accompanied by responsible living. She urged Christians to resist temptation, make the sacrifices required to remain within God’s will, correct harmful conduct in their homes and surrender their burdens to Jesus.
The message was clear: divine elevation is not an invitation to spiritual carelessness but a call to deeper faith, obedience and integrity.
In a time when many heads are bowed by economic pressure, insecurity, sickness and disappointment, the sermon offered a reassuring truth: a bowed head is not necessarily a defeated life. When God becomes the shield, sorrow cannot have the final word.
The night may be long, the opposition may be fierce and the burden may be heavy, but when God lifts the head, shame becomes honour, mourning becomes testimony, and the place of affliction becomes the beginning of elevation.
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.