President Mahama seeks divine guidance to transform Ghana’s fortunes at Cedar Mountain Chapel

“My prayer is, God use me as your instrument.

“It is you who brought me to this place. It is you who will let me serve your purpose. And the purpose is to serve my fellow Ghanaians and make sure that we’re able to turn the fortunes of this country around and make everybody’s life better,” he stated.

President Mahama made this heartfelt remark on Sunday (February 2, 2025) when he joined the congregation for the First Service at the Cedar Mountain Chapel of Assemblies of God in East Legon.

The President was unable to join the congregation on Sunday, January 26, 2025, for the Thanksgiving service held in honour of the late Madam Deborah Wengam, following her burial, as he was travelling outside the country.

Touching on his career trajectory, President Mahama recalled that when he was young, several times he wanted to do something else and not be a doctor or a lawyer, stressing that while other people may want to be Presidents, lawyers, and doctors, he wanted to do ordinary things.

“I mean, if you ask me what do you want to be in the future? I didn’t say I want to be a doctor or a lawyer. At one time I wanted to be a fireman because I liked their uniform and the red fire trucks they used to drive.

“Then another time I wanted to be a State Transport Company driver because you sit in the car from Tamale to Accra, the way he’s driving it looks nice,” he indicated.

He, however, observed that in his career trajectory, “God has kept pushing me in the direction that he wants me to go.

“At every point, I have been reluctant to follow that trajectory. For instance, politics, I was reluctant to go into politics.”

President Mahama explained that he was unwilling to go into politics because of what his late father went through in politics—he was arrested and locked up for two years.

He explained that his father was so traumatised that he never wanted to have anything to do with politics and so he went into business and became a very successful commercial rice farmer in the north.

“And so, because of the narrations that he had given about the trauma he suffered in prison and the setbacks he suffered as a result of his politics, my mind was, I will not be a politician.

“But God said, who are you to decide? I will do with you what I want. And the rest is history,” the President further recounted.

President Mahama explained that even after being a deputy minister for communications and minister for communications between 1997 and January 7, 2001, he told himself that “look, my dad wanted somebody to follow in his footsteps.

“I have been deputy minister. My father was a minister in the Nkrumah regime. So, I have done his political path. Now let me go and do the one I also want.”

President Mahama stated that at a point he wanted to further his education up to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) level and lecture in any of the reputable universities but “God said…I’ve not finished with you.”

He said one day the late Prof John Evans Atta Mills sent for him and asked him to become his running mate adding that “It is a long story, if I want to tell it today, we won’t close. But the prayer that I pray always now is that God do with me what you please. Use me as your instrument.”

President Mahama commended the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God, Ghana, Reverend Stephen Yenusom Wengam for sowing what he described as the “mustard seed” which has grown to become the Cedar Mountain Chapel of today.

Eulogising Reverend Wengam, President Mahama stated that the Cedar Mountain Chapel project reminded him of the parable of the mustard seed in the Holy Bible. “I have always said, Reverend Wengam’s story reminds me of the parable of the mustard seed.

“That little seed that is sown in the garden is so little. It is sown in the garden and yet it grows into a big church. Like he said, when he was leaving Ringway Gospel Centre, we all couldn’t understand. We were sad. Why do you have to go? He says, no, God wants me to move on,” the President revealed.

President Mahama expressed his delight about how he also supported Reverend Wengam’s efforts when he was Vice President at the time they needed a guarantor for a loan for the church project.

The President stated that just as the richest countries like the United States of America believe in prayer and they set aside a day for national thanksgiving and prayer, Ghana even needs more prayers.

He therefore reiterated his resolve to form a committee to start planning for the National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving.

“I would pray as a nation that God should continue to have his hand on Ghana and continue to favour us so that the peace and safety that we enjoy will stay and that he will prosper us with the natural resources and bountiful blessings he’s giving us,” he observed.

In a sermon titled the “Awesome Deeds of Prayer,” the General Superintendent focused on three thematic areas—the place of prayer, the path of prayer, and the power of prayer.

His foundational scripture for the sermon was Daniel 6:1-28, urging believers to prioritise prayer. “How many times a day do you pray? Daniel was a prime minister, a very busy person.

He prioritised prayer and I want to ask you as a child of God, as an engineer, as a mechanic, as a fashion designer, how many times a day do you pray? You cannot be busier than Daniel. You cannot be busier than His Excellency the President,” Reverend Wengam further asserted.

He explained that he, as a General Superintendent, loves to kneel down and pray, stressing that in the Bible Daniel got down on his knees to pray.

He told the congregation that Daniel got down on his knees three times a day, saying “prayer must not be once nor twice and that’s why Paul said pray without ceasing. Prayer must be a lifestyle, pray anytime, everywhere.”

Reverend Wengam indicated that Daniel’s prayers at a time when there was a law asking him not to pray for thirty days was like suffocating him.

He explained that Daniel was not challenging the authority of King Darius, but he was only fulfilling his spiritual duty because prayer is the native air and the spiritual oxygen of the Christian.

“You cannot kill a man of prayer. You cannot destroy a man or woman of prayer. They cast Daniel into the lion’s den because he prayed. Because prayer is the deadliest weapon against Satan.

“So, Satan will do everything to make it difficult and impossible for you to pray.

He will get you busy,” Reverend Wengam cautioned the congregants. He indicated that “a prayerless Christian is no threat to Satan. It’s no threat to him.”

The General Superintendent encouraged believers to love prayer and to understand that “prayer changes the unchangeable and that nothing can withstand the power, the presence, and the authority of prayer.”

He warned Christians against being part-time believers, stressing that “Daniel was not a part-time Christian. He was a full-time, dedicated, committed, available, consistent Christian.”

“Listen, prayer will preserve you in the lion’s den. This world is full of evil people. I’m telling you Christians are always in the midst of liars ready to devour you,” Reverend Wengam reminded the congregants.

He said Christians must be blameless and must pray without living in sin so that their prayers become effective.

Listing some of the benefits of prayer, Reverend Wengam stated that prayer will place the Christian at an advantageous and superior position; prayer is a key component of the Christian faith; and it is a daily necessity as well as everything.

Earlier in his introductory remark before inviting the President to the podium to speak, Reverend Wengam praised President Mahama and his wife Lordina for their encouragement and support while he was on a Divine mission to build the Cedar Mountain Chapel.

He said the Assemblies of God community both in Ghana and abroad takes pride in having four Presidents, including President Mahama, whom he described as the church’s “first Fruit President.”

Later, the General Superintendent led some key pastors and board members at the Cedar Mountain Chapel to pray for God’s protection for the President and for the prosperity of the nation. The President was accompanied by some members of his government.