Pastor Mensa Otabil has said things are tough in Ghana.

According to him, Ghanaians are going through very hard times.

“There are moments in our lives when we need a word of encouragement from the word of God and as a pastor, I sense those moments because I believe that we are living in tough times in Ghana,” the founder of the International Central Gospel Church told his congregation on Sunday May 15.

“Ghana is hard and that is not a political statement,” the motivational speaker added, explaining: “It’s a statement of reality that people are going through very difficult circumstances in their private lives, in their businesses, and people are struggling with certain necessities of life and sometimes when you go through these tough times, you need encouragement.

“So, I am bringing you a word in that direction, and I trust that at the end of this service, something in you will lift up…” Dr Otabil said just before he started his sermon for the day.

“Sometimes, when you look at life in this country, you feel as if not only is life hard, but we want to make it impossible for us to live our life. I was telling my wife yesterday, I said: ‘We are not nice to ourselves. Ghana is not nice to itself, let’s treat ourselves well; just make life better for ourselves, but it looks like there is a deliberate effort to keep you down and subservient and to make you never lift up your head…’” Dr Otabil lamented.

The difficulties notwithstanding, Dr Otabil told his church members that: “You are going to win and that is not a political statement either, but you are going to win.”

Explaining why he kept caveating his comments, Dr Otabil said: “In Ghana now, everything is politics, you know. You say: ‘You’re going to win’ and they say: ‘Which party is Otabil talking about?’ I say you as an individual, as a person, you will win in life, you will win in your marriage, you’ll win in your business, you’ll not be a disgrace, you’ll not be a disappointment, you’ll not be cast out, you are coming from below, you’re coming from behind, you’re coming from beyond, but you’ll win it. Your branches will run over the wall.

“The economy of Ghana may not change; I have no control over that. The guys messing it up, that’s their problem, they have to fix it, but I’m here to tell you that no matter the walls, no matter the mess, no matter the difficulty, people may collapse all around you, people may not survive the arrow, people may not survive the wars, but you will win this one, I said you will win this one. Somebody will say: ‘Pastor how will I win?’ I don’t know. I don’t know how Joseph won….

“Sometimes we look at ourselves and we say: ‘It’s too late.’ It’s not too late. ‘I’m too old.’ You’re not too old. You are not Methuselah yet. You’re still young by Methuselah’s comparison. ...May I suggest to you my friend, age will not kill you, age will not destroy your vision, age will not put you down, God can use you again, God can lift you up again, God can tell your story again, God can cause you to win again. I’m here, I’m telling this truth, ICGC Christ Temple, this army is going to battle and this army is going to come with victory. I’m telling FC Christ Temple, we’re going into this championship and we’re going to win this championship, we’re going to come with the trophy, we’re going to come with the cup, we’re going to win this one, we’re going to go over this wall, we are going to overcome these arrows and we will win, and we will triumph, we are going to win this one and the Lord will make you the head and not the tail. You will smile again, you will rejoice again, you will walk confidently again, you’ll speak confidently again. I came to encourage somebody’s heart; although you feel down, you are not out. God is still on the throne. His eyes are on you…”