A Special 17th Anniversary Message

By Sister Tekia Lampkin

Despite a global pandemic and the uncertainty that the last few years have brought, LFCC turned seventeen this year, under the anointed leadership of Overseer Apostle Dr. T. Anthony Thompson, whom we respectfully and affectionately call, "Pastor T." In an age where more and more churches are shutting their doors due to finances and people turning away from faith, this is an accomplishment worthy of recognition, celebration, and thankfulness. There is power in the number seventeen, as evidenced by biblical numerology, and there is significance in our church observing this milestone.

Humble Beginnings

‘For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’ Matthew 18:20 KJV

LFCC began with Pastor T’s vision and his family as congregants; the church has grown exponentially over the years. From the Elks Lodge to the current space at the Church at Riverside, with a few stops in between, the church has prevailed despite the enemy’s repeated attempts to block what the Lord is leading Pastor to build. And yet, every attempt at destruction, every setback has been thwarted and the congregation continues to grow and thrive with new life at every turn.

Overcoming the Enemy

‘Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.’ Ephesians 6:11 ESV

There are numerous examples in the bible of overcoming the enemy in which the number seventeen shows up. Seventeen represent "the ability to overcome challenges, defeat adversaries, and persuade the disobedient." It also "symbolizes success, the re-establishment of everything, spiritual completeness, and perfect order." Jesus defeated death on the seventeenth day of the first Hebrew month when he was resurrected from the grave. If that is not victory, what is?

It was on the seventeenth day of the second Hebrew month that God flooded the Earth. Noah and his ark came to a rest on the Ararat mountains on the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the day that the Earth was restored.

Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave when he was seventeen years old, and it was seventeen years before he and his father were reunited, overcoming the evil that was the intent to separate them and keep Joseph from his destiny.

There were seventeen enemies listed in Psalm 83; seven that God destroyed in the past and ten that will come up against Israel in the future to ultimately be vanquished. In Revelations, the fourth beast of the end times (the Antichrist) had seven heads and ten horns, equaling seventeen. The destruction of the beast will occur when the Lord returns. It is written and we can rest on the Word.

Walking in Victory

Maintaining a church is no small feat. Without the vision that God gave Pastor T, there would be no Love Fellowship Christian Center. He has strategically placed all the church members, families, friends, etc, to move the church forward and overcome all the obstacles that come up against it, no matter what they may be.

So we celebrate having seventeen years under our belts with many more to come. If we remember what we have been through and how much we’ve overcome, it’s easy to know without a shadow of a doubt that we are and will continue to be victorious!

“For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”

Deuteronomy 20:4

Sources

Jacobs, Shannon. “Number 17 Meaning In The Bible And Its Significance To Us” BibleKeeper.com. 28 October 2022. https://www.biblekeeper.com/number-17-meaning-in-the-bible/Accessed 13 August 2023.

“Meaning of Numbers: The Number 17” BibleStudy.com. https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/17.htmlAccessed 11 August 2023.

“7 Secrets of Number 17 in the Bible” NumerologyNation.com. https://numerologynation.com/numerology/biblical/number-17/Accessed 11 August 2023.