Faith in God eliminates disappointment in life (Romans 10:11)!!! Disappointment comes from failure to satisfy your hopes and dreams. It is manifested as sadness, anger or bitterness. This is the promise of Almighty God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth: as a born again child of God, if you put your trust in Him alone, all your hopes and dreams shall be fulfilled! You shall never be ashamed and you shall never regret your trust in God! You shall rejoice always! Signs and wonders shall follow you! To the glory of God! In Jesus name, amen!

 
MY TESTIMONY
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us” (1Thess 5:23-25)

Once you become born again the process of sanctification starts immediately. Sanctification means to become holy as God is holy. Justification from sin is instant. It is the result of the death of Christ on the Cross. But sanctification is a life long process, slow and painful. God could have sanctified you in a moment but He chose to make it a life long journey with Him, that you may appreciate His long suffering and love for us.

You need to go back to the Cross again and again. You need to study the Word of God and allow its sword to pierce your sinful heart. Christ will use the Word to cut round the hardness of your heart, just like a circumcision surgery. Each sin must be exposed, confessed, renounced and repented of. You shall weep many tears as God humbles you daily. In the light of God’s Word you shall see yourself as you really are: a wicked, greedy, lustful, jealous, foolish and stubborn sinner. This revelation is extremely painful. But like a woman in labor, this pain is necessary ‘to push’ away the sin.

God the Father who sent His Son to save you, is the same who wants you sanctified. As the God of Peace, He is faithful to finish His work in you. He will do it! The only people who have peace and joy are the ones who are cooperating with the deep work of the Holy Spirit and desire to be sanctified.

Each believer has to battle with his own demons. For example, one of my past strongholds of flesh was lying. I was so deceived… I really thought that lying is useful. I was so good at it that nobody knew I was lying. Even me, I forgot that I was lying and I paraded myself as a honest woman. I thought that truth is too harsh and a little lying is a form of hope and kindness. For example, as a medical doctor, if one of my patients was dying with an incurable disease, I will tell him that he will live long if he takes his drugs. That was not not a speech of faith for I was a confirmed atheist, an unbeliever. It was a lie helping him to ‘die in peace’. I could tell his family the truth but not the patient himself. I did not trust what truth could do…so I lied, giving false hopes. Terrible…

But after I became born again, I started feeling very guilty. The Holy Spirit started His work in me! Now, to lie was not as easy… Each time I had to lie, just seconds before the lie in my heart came on my lips, I will feel a restrain, not to speak like that. But it took me some time to learn how to ‘apply the breaks’ of the Holy Spirit and to have self control. This guilt bordered me. I wanted to have peace with God and my own conscience. But the only way to have peace was only thru deep repentance of this sin of lying.

I started praying for mercy. I saw myself as a devil. I wept and wept and begged God for forgiveness. I asked the Holy Spirit to fill me and to empower me to change. I still remember the place where, on my knees, I made a vow to God that from that moment on, I will never lie! I promised God that I will speak the truth even if I have to die! From that moment I had peace! The Holy Spirit took control of my tongue! Glory to God! I had to learn to speak slowly and to listen to my words. I never spoke on an impulse again. Truth became my best friend who set me free from sin and shame.

This testimony of deliverance from the demon of lies happened in 1987, one year after I became saved. I can boldly say that now I am not a liar! God forbid! I speak the truth in love for the sake and honor of my Savior, Jesus Christ who loved me enough to die for my sins and to make me His child! My children (natural and spiritual) can testify to thIs…

My dear children, I pray for you this morning… That God will make you willing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and to become like Jesus, holy, blameless and undefiled! That you become holy as God is holy! That you make truth your best friend! That God’s power will manifest in you by changing you from glory to glory! God will give you peace from your battles with a wounded conscience! You shall know the truth and the truth in Christ shall set you free! This shall be done to the glory of God, to the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of the people who know you! I promise you that God will do it! Come back with great testimonies so that we can rejoice together! Jesus is Lord!

WISE WORDS

“Christ is the most cheap physician, he takes no fee. He desires us to bring nothing to him but broken hearts; and when he has cured us he desires us to bestow nothing on him but our love.”

“Christ heals with more ease than any other. Christ makes the devil go out with a word (Mark 9:25). Nay, he can cure with a look: Christ’s look melted Peter into repentance; it was a healing look. If Christ doth but cast a look upon the soul he can recover it. Therefore David prays to have a look from God, ‘Look Thou upon me, and be merciful unto me’ (Psalm 119:132).”

 
“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves” (1 Thess 5:12, 13)

I recently had a wonderful fellowship with a Christian brother. He is a born again and Spirit filled Christian. He is one of the pastors in his church and very committed to the ministry. He is also an engineer by profession. Recently, his company in Warri promoted him and transferred him to Lagos. He told me that together with his wife they prayed about this transfer. Both feel lead that he should resigned from his company. He will then work in Warri as a professional consultant and private business man. He said that he did not have the freedom to ‘resign’ from God’s work in his church in Warri. I was impressed by his mature spirituality. I was telling him that unfortunately, many Christians are lead by their professional ambitions and not by their spiritual responsibilities. They go wherever their companies send them hoping that they will find a church in the new location. They do not pray about promotions and transfers assuming all these are always from God. They are not ready to go where the Holy Spirit tells them to go. Their commitments to their jobs are greater than their love for Jesus. This is a great temptation for the ‘successful’ carrier men and women all over the world.

This is a good question: why do we need to attend a local church? Is it not enough to just be born again? The answer is both yes and no. To be saved and to go to heaven you need to be born again by the Spirit of the Living God. Jesus died on the Cross that your soul be saved! Nothing can be added to that. But for you to live a happy, fulfilled and fruitful Christian life, you need to attend a living church and do ministry there. This is how God designed this Christian life to be. Please remember: Jesus Christ your Lord ‘loved the church and gave Himself up for her’ (Eph 5:25). Jesus called it ‘My church’ which ‘I will build’ (Mt 16:18). According to the Bible, if you love Jesus, you must love the church, which comes from Him, belongs to Him and is sanctified by His blessed saving work!

I know that there are some dangers here… One of them is this: overfamiliarity with your pastors is not good. After a long time in that church you may discover that your pastors are human with weaknesses and failures like you. But we are commanded to submit to their authority and to respect them ‘very highly’ not because of their charisma or gifts but because ‘of their work’ they do for the sake of Christ! It is their spiritual fruitful work that is the bases for that humble respect you have for them!

If you are sure that your spiritual leaders are truly called by God, then joyfully submit to their authority, even when you do not understand everything! If, on the other hand, you are not sure that your pastors are genuine Christians and you are not sure that they are called by God, please change your church! Church is designed by God to be a blessing, a spiritual family and a spiritual covering with wonderful benefits! Do not attend a church just because you like a girl there, just because you like the music or the fashion style of the pastor and his wife!!! Commit yourself to a good living church where the Holy Spirit moves, where the pastor preaches the true Gospel of Christ and were all the glory is openly given to God!

In Christ I declare: Blessed are you if you attend a good local church where your pastors are leading the flock well; where your pastors are working hard to prepare and preach good life transforming sermons; where your pastors love and pray for the souls of the people in the congregation; where your pastors worship God in Spirit and in truth; where your pastors speak the truth in love and are not afraid to rebuke and chastise the sinners or the backsliders; where your pastors share not just their words with you, but their lives as well! Pray for your pastors! Attend all the church services! Encourage your pastors! Support your pastors! Then God will bless you! You shall have peace with God and with all men! In Jesus name, amen!

 
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed” (Ps 37:23-26)

Today marks the 18th day since I fell and broke my foot. I am on a compulsory bed rest with a cast on my leg. I am a woman who likes to work. It is not easy to ‘rest’ for so long. But I am not complaining. In fact, I give God all the glory for everything, for He is my God and He loves me and He knows best!

During this trial of faith I am amazed at the treasure of wisdom and revelation that The Lord has opened to me. These are some observations… We just came back from a two week holiday abroad. We traveled by train, by car and by plane. During this time I prayed that no accident should happen. I was also very careful not to miss my step when we climb the steps in the airports, hotels and all. No accident happened. But immediately we arrived home, I became more relaxed and took my very house for granted. I fell from the steps I thought I knew best. This is something to ponder about…if I was as careful inside the house as I was outside, maybe this accident could not have happened…the lesson is to trust a God always and not only sometimes!

One of the greatest blessings that came in the same ‘package’ with this fall was the strong presence of the Holy Spirit over me. This is truly very surprising. In the past, this strong anointing comes when I am in the church and it is time for me to minister. I am a shy person naturally. I totally depend on the Holy Spirit to anoint my words, my memory and my mind. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit to strengthen me I am lost. I am like a fish outside the water. I know what the anointing can do… But to find this anointing sustaining me now, in this sick bed, this is most surprising to me. As I was falling I remember thinking ‘Wow… I am not afraid… The Lord caught me with His hands… He broke my fall…Jesussssss….I am fallen but not forsaken. The Lord wants to glorify Himself thru this my fall. I don’t know how He wants to do it, but He will surely do it!’

Another testimony is that God anointed my husband even more at this time. He preaches the Word with more passion and courage. The Holy Spirit does wonders even now, when I cannot attend church services. He surely does not need me, but I am just saying… Also, the Lord sent many humble faithful helpers to pray, to cook and to encourage us at this time. Another miracle is that our finances have increased and not decreased so we do not need to ‘beg for bread’. I give God all the glory for all these wonderful things and many more to come!

My children, be encouraged! You are blessed! You too can never be forsaken by God no matter what you pass thru right now! You too are blessed spiritually and financially! We are in this together! We shall rejoice! Do not worry about your mother… I shall walk again! I shall dance again! God’s ways are mysterious and perfect in the same time! God is the only One who changes sorrows into songs and trials into triumphs! The glory of the future had not been revealed yet but it is surely greater than the present discomfort! In all things and in all situations, let’s give thanks to God! Worship the Lamb who was slain and who seats upon the throne! For He alone is worthy to receive all honor and glory and praise! Jesus is Lord!

“Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will be established” (PV 16:3)

“Commit your future to the Lord! Trust in Him and He will act on your behalf!” (Ps 37:5)

“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of disaster and collapse” (PV 24:16, AMP)

I had a dream that I was a marathon runner. The race was hard. The heat and the effort was much. I was a village girl who trained in the bushes. I came to the city just because of this race. Among the spectators I had nobody to cheer me up for my village people were too poor to come. My competitors were very strong and professionally prepared. But I wanted that crown. I wanted to win not only for myself but for my children and for the honor of my village. I ran and ran without looking back or left or right. I was leading but I did not know. Just before the finishing line somebody from among the spectators threw a rock at me. I stumbled and fell. But I fell after the finishing line. My leg was broken but I was still the champion! The wicked person who threw the rock was arrested by the police. The crowning ceremony had to be postponed until I could stand. I climbed the podium limping but I was the champion. This time my children and all my village people came and cheered me on. The devil attacked but it was too late. The crown was mine and nobody could take it away! All the glory went to God who always helps the lonely humble faithful fighter!

It is said that success is defined not by how bad you have fallen or by how many times you go down, but by the capacity to rise up again after each fall. This is the promise of God: the true born again believer in Christ may fall but he will always rise up again! A child of God will not die in the devil’s ‘gutter’! The testimony of his sure salvation must be proven to the last breath! The same power that raised Jesus from the dead will quickened your mortal body and you shall rise from the ashes of mistakes, failure and regret!

The unbeliever, the wicked evil man shall stumble and fall also. For life is hard and there are many wicked enemies (like him) who take delight in another’s fall. But the wicked does not partake from this grace of rising. He falls and remains glued to the ground. The power of resurrection is not his portion. His fears of failure and total disgrace shall be fulfilled. There is no security, hope, joy or peace for the wicked. Their evil makes them too ‘heavy’ and no one will be there to help them rise again.

As you can see, there is no middle ground! It is 17 days since I fell and broke my ankle. It is not easy to lie in bed for so long but even now I give thanks to God! One of the things that excite me is the expectation of my rising from this infirmity… I dream about going back to my kitchen and do wifely things, going back to do ministry in the church… It will come… In Jesus name!

‘My enemies, do not rejoice for soon I shall rise again! You who throw rocks at the children of God so that they can fall, you shall regret your actions! You shall see the power of God and you shall know that my Jesus is the Lord! I don’t know how God shall manifest that future ‘rising’ but one thing I know: it will be glorious! I shall rise again! The ashes are behind me! The beauty of holiness is calling me forth! My children ( natural and spiritual) shall be encouraged to run as champions too! I have no doubt about it! In my falling and in my rising, I shall give Glory to God! In Jesus name, amen!’

“Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Mt 18:21, 22)

Many people ask for the secret of a true happy life long marriage. My husband and I are married for 42 years. We come from very different backgrounds. We have different gifts and strategies of success in life. But we have more things in common than those that separate us. We are both born again and Spirit filled. The Cross keeps us together! That is our secret!

One of the basic attitudes to keep a marriage happy is the ‘science’ and the ‘art’ of forgiveness. You need to be born again. You need to study the Word of God until you understand what forgiveness is. There is a price to pay. Forgiveness is the glue of marriage. Marriage is tough work. For example, the great Mandela did hard labor in prison for 27 years. He forgave his enemies. But even he could not forgive his wife and they divorced six years after his freedom from prison.

The devil attacks marriages but forgiveness neutralizes the strategy of the devil. Forgiveness is expensive but necessary to manifest the love of God. Forgiveness is hard because it is not just a feeling but obedience to the Word of God. Forgiveness is costly. You pay the price for the evil you chose to forgive. But forgiveness is designed by God to give you liberty!

In this world people offend one another. You cannot escape that. Even in the marriage, the risk of hurting one another is very high. You can respond in two ways: forgive or not forgive. Each is a choice. Forgiveness is more than a feeling. It is a choice. Forgiveness leads to freedom, peace and joy. Refusal to forgive leads to anger, bitterness and bondage. The choice is yours. Forgiveness is not something you do on and off. It is a life style. You practice forgiveness daily, when it is needed and when it is not. The Holy Spirit helps you to walk this royal road, so that when you are offended it is easy to forgive.

A healthy marriage lives under the sky of grace. Forgiveness is an advice to troubled marriages. If sin comes, when confession of adultery comes, you may ask if your marriage can ever be the same. Yes, it can be, if you practice forgiveness. By the grace of God, it can even become better! Look at the father and his prodigal son! He thought he will be a slave. He thought that things cannot be like before! But they became better! Thru repentance and forgiveness their relationship became better.

Many people lose hope in a marriage when they need to forgive again and again, especially for the same sins. Practicing forgiveness is an attitude. It has to be done patiently by at least one of you. It is hard. But this is the sure road that leads to success in marriage! Your forgiveness must be rooted in God! Forgive the way God forgave you in Christ Jesus! Be like Jesus! In the end, that will be your reward!

This is what Nehemiah, a slave set free by God, said to his enemies:
“The God of heaven will give us success! We His servants will start rebuilding! But as for you (my enemies) you will have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right in it!” (Neh 2:20)

God wants to bless any of His children who are willing to take the risk and go and to do ministry in His name. The first thing you must do is to accept the burden of the Lord! It comes as a strange sadness. You look around and see the damage sin has done to humanity. God does not despise a broken hearted man, especially when he is willing to be used by Him to repair or rebuild a situation.

“So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise” (Lk 10:36, 37)

Today is the 14th day since I fell and broke my leg. Apart from the initial pain and the difficulty of learning to walk with crutches, I can say that this is one of the best periods of my life. God has touched not only my husband and I separately but our marriage. It looks very much like what people call ‘honey moon’. What is the honey in it? It is this unity of the Spirit in the bond of supernatural peace! This cannot be bought with money and no Bible School can teach it. It is the gift of the Father! Glory to God!!!

Let me explain… Not long ago a friend’s daughter had a car accident. She entered the junction on ‘yellow’ and another car collided with hers. Both drivers were unhurt, thank God. But my friend’s daughter’s car was quite damaged. They needed to spend money to fix it. The girl’s father was happy that she was not hurt but very angry that she was ‘too careless’. This anger lasted for a long time and it affected their relationship.

In my case, I too was ‘careless’ for I should have looked better when I stepped down on the stairs. My fall was my fault, you can say. Except for the devil, I am the only one to be blamed. My husband’s natural reaction could have been like that girl’s father. But to my greatest surprise he was not angry at all. From the moment I fell he picked me up, tied my broken leg, prayed for me and encouraged me. He had been an ‘angel’ in the house. He brings my food from the kitchen and cleans our room daily. He does it with a smile on his face humming worship songs. After he does all the chores (faster than I use to do them… I am almost getting jealous…) he goes to his office and studies the Bible. He comes from time to time to ask if I have any need. If he drives out he phones to say he is coming back soon…How can you explain this love after more than 42 years of marriage? This has to be God so that our testimony will be greater than initially imagined.

Interestingly, this week, at the mid week service, he preached a message called ‘who is my neighbor?’ I could not attend the service but I read the notes from the sermon on Facebook. It was from the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. A Jewish man fell at the hands of robbers. They wounded him badly and left him on the side of the road. Two religious men cam by, saw him, but chose to ignore him. When a Samaritan man came he had pity on the wounded man and helped him at the hour of his need. Samaritans are historical enemies of the Jews so he had enough excuses to ignore the victim. But he showed supernatural compassion and helped the wounded man. Jesus said that whosever showed this Holy Ghost mercy to a man in need, that man is the true neighbor. It is this generous free supernatural love revealed to one in need that makes men neighbors and friends forever. That bond of peace can never be broken.

This is our testimony: My husband proved to me in the our of my need that he is my true pastor, my compassionate neighbor and my friend forever! My husband revealed the heart of Jesus to me, especially now! He really practices what he preaches! 43years ago, when I told my parents that I want to marry my class mate Richmond Leigh, they were afraid. They saw him as a black man from another continent. They said ‘why do you want to marry a man who lives so far away? Why can’t you marry one of our neighbors?’ I could not answer their question. I just said that I love him. Many years have passed… We came to Nigeria in 1980. We had three children. We became born again. We have been living happily since then. But God keeps the best for the last…This is a wonderful latest revelation: I have married my neighbor in the Kingdom of God!!! There is no doubt in my mind that our marriage has been ordained and approved by God! I am very sure that in heaven we shall live on the same side of the golden highway! What a privilege! What a blessing!

The pain has gone. Soon, the cast will be removed and I shall walk (and dance) again! But the lessons and the bonding of agape love manifested during this trying time will endure forever! God bless my neighbor! Like we say in Nigeria… Anywhere you see him, please greet him for me! To God be all the glory!

(My husband and I on a camel in Israel in 2013)

“The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them, but the righteous are as bold as a lion” (PV 28:1)

Boldness is one of the great qualities of a true leader. To be bold it means to be courageous and not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger. A bold person stands out conspicuously and is not hiding from or behind others. To be bold it means to be creative, free and imaginative in thought or expression.

“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes” (Ps 118:22, 23)

The cornerstone (or foundation stone) concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a foundation. This is very important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. The strength, stability and success of the building depends on that unique great and marvelous stone.

The stone laid in Zion ( Isa 28:16 ) is precious to the believer. The same is a stone of offense and stumbling ( Isa 8:4 ) to those who refuse to believe. The metaphor seems obvious: the cornerstone is either a source of blessing or judgment, depending on your attitude toward it. The foundation Stone of the Church is Jesus Christ. This was prophesied by the prophets of old and fulfilled through the incarnation and His crucifixion. Those who believe are blessed and those who stumble over that rock chosen by God are condemned.

See the foolishness of these builders… They want to take pride in building a great strong building. They were supposed to know the qualities of the stones they need to work with. But they rejected the most important stone of all. There are many stones that are similar. You can reject one of those and the building still stands. But this corner stone is unique. There is no other like it. No other stone is as strong to sustain the building. In rejecting the Chief Cornerstone, the builders will surely be destroyed by the work of their hands. They rejected the Rock that alone can carry the house. They chose to build on the sand and when the storms of life come, their imaginary castle will fall with a great crash destroying all inside.

It is wonderful to see what God does when men reject His Son, His Word and His ways. Men may reject His will, but His will is still done on earth as it is in heaven. God always has the last say. God cannot be frustrated. God can never lose! Men and devils killed Jesus. But the Father raised Him from the dead! This is the power of the Gospel! What a life giving story …

This is the Word of God: Salvation is found in no other except in The Lord Jesus Christ! Be sure your Christianity is built on the Rock of ages! Examine your foundation! Are you really born again or just religious? If you are born again, your life will be miraculous and wonderful! Signs and wonders shall follow you as day follows night! But if you are bored or frustrated with your life, it may be that you are a false believer and in danger of hell!!! I joke and I laugh often! But these questions are not a laughing matter at all! The difference between receiving and rejecting the Chief Cornerstone, which is Our Lord Jesus Christ, is the difference between life and death!!! Meditate on these words, please… Give your life to Christ!!! Be born again!!! In Jesus name, amen!

As for me and my household, we are saved by the Blood of the Lamb, by the grace of the Father in heaven and thru faith in a his Son! We rejoice! We praise the Rock of our foundation! Hallelujah!!! Glory to God!!!

LETTER FROM A CHRISTIAN SISTER
“Dear Lia,
I have just read all your posts on Facebook; your are responding like a new bride of Christ, with a fresh anointing of the Spirit, you are right in saying that what is happening in your spirit is a miracle.

God says that we are the bride of Christ, the church, what we have been praying for has started in your heart; it is only by the will of God that ‘REVIVAL’ STARTS, it is only by his grace, and it starts in us, his bride. as i read your testimonies, i am excited to the point of tears for what God is doing. Lia, this is REVIVAL, only God knows why you have to sow in pain, but He has chosen the church and you are the vessel.but I know that you will reap a great harvest of joy. there is much that i could say, but i believe God has heard our prayers.

“And He (Jesus) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2Cor 12:9, 10)

Today is the 13th day since I broke my leg and I have to stay in compulsory bed rest. Most people wish me to be healed and be strong once again. Their prayers is that I go back to the church and do ministry. Me too I want to walk without crotches. Me too I want to go back among people and do ministry. But between now and that day, I have to discover the purpose and the glory in this my infirmity.

One thing I know: I am a child of God and God is with me. He may have not injured me and He could have prevented my fall. But God permitted all this for a purpose. God always works with a purpose in mind. God never makes mistakes. God never experiences accidents. He is always in control in His universe.

Little by little the Holy Spirit brings drops of mercy to me. These come as nuggets of revelation of His goodness and grace. If in the past the grace of God for me was a doctrine, now it is something I feel, I experience. The grace of God announces the healing. This unmerited favor of God is always sufficient to carry me thru every situation. When sin abounds and sorrow multiplies, when pain increases and fears attack in the night, the grace of God sails upon the troubled waters. The grace will bring me home. The amazing grace is the perfect answer to all my questions and all my pains.

Grace prepares my spirit to receive and to host the power of Christ. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead and defeated the hosts of hell, is what has settled upon my spirit. This is my boast right now: the power of Christ RESTS upon me. The everlasting arms of the Living God embrace me, hold me tight, remold my vessel and seal my heart. I boast and rejoice that Christ did not run away from me when I was wounded. He came closer to me than when I was strong in myself. He poured the power of resurrection into my heart. He strengthens my soul.

I am still surprised at the depth of God’s love revealed to a limping middle age woman like me. To me, this is a miracle! The Almighty God really has time to waste on earth encouraging me on my sick bed. What an experience… I have lost any desire to complain or to ask questions. I am so happy and at peace… It is my boast!

“My Lord Jesus, You are truly surprising me… My weakness does not embarrass You … My foolishness does not frustrate You… My doctors’ advice does not confuse You… My mistakes do not agitate You… I worship You for who You are, my Savior, my Comforter, my Teacher, my Healer, my Praise, my Boast, my Strength, my Reward and my Lord! Please receive all the glory about everything that concerns me! In Jesus name, amen!”

“A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?” (PV 18:14)

It is eleven days since I fell and broke my ankle. It has been a very interesting journey. The physical pain is almost gone but I still have to rest my foot and I still gave to walk with crotches. The good side of this trial is that there are so many revelations coming to me now. I can write a book! It is very possible that if it was not for this infirmity I could have been too proud to receive these revelations. The truth is that no one desires sickness. I am a medical doctor. I was trained to hate sickness. But as a child of God I see the rainbow at the end of the storm. Yes, there was need for a storm in the night to appreciate the colors of the rainbow early in the morning.

One of the scriptures that pulsate with living faith for me now is the one above. I knew it in my head but now I feel the Word in my spirit. Thru this infirmity I proved the Word to be true. The scripture talks about a man’s spirit; what he can do and what he cannot do. The human spirit is the invisible and the deepest part of man. It is made from the same substance as God. It is the heart or the life if the soul. God speaks only to the spirit. The human spirit is made of three parts:

*The Intuition (it is man’s capacity to know God directly, without passing thru the mind. The mind understand later what the spirit knows now. Children are more intuitive than adults. For example: a child will know if a man is wicked and will cry when coming close to that man. An adult may be deceived by the man’s money or appearance and because of sin his intuition is weak)
*The conscience (it is man’s capacity to know what God wants and what God hates. It works like a traffic light. If the conscience says ‘green’ it means you should move on. If it is ‘yellow’ it means that you should wait. It it says ‘red’ it means that you should stop because that thing in front of you is sin. A healthy conscience is a great blessing. A wounded conscience is trouble already)
*The Communion (it is the human capacity to truly worship God in Spirit and in truth and to experience the glory of God)

The spirit of an unbeliever is dormant, like a man in coma. It does not respond well. It is very weak. It does not hear God speaking. The only man whose spirit sustains him during sickness or trials is the born again child of God.

This is one of the greatest revelations I have received these past few days. This is indeed my testimony, proving once more that I am a true believer in Jesus Christ! During these trying days my intuition tells me that God is with me right now. My conscience feels no guilt and no shame to be found in this situation. I commune with God from this bed. I worship Him freely. My fracture does not exist in the Spirit Land of His free grace. God gave me a strong wiling free spirit to follow Him. I sing, I walk, I dance … This joy becomes strength, hope and healing. It sustains and carries me along. I do not feel tired, frustrated, anxious or sick. God is with me and that is all that matters…

But if man’s spirit is grieved, broken or crushed, then any thing in life, even the good things, become burdens to heavy to carry. If you grieve the Holy Spirit thru rebellion your spirit will be grieved too. There shall be depression and sleepless nights. A guilty conscience is more painful than any fracture. Without the comfort of the Holy Spirit you feel lost in the universe. No man can bear when God turns His back on him. I know how that feels. Any true believer passes thru hell when the Holy Spirit convicts him of sin. That is the process necessary to come to the cross, to plead the Blood of Jesus and His mercy of forgiveness. This is how you feel before you become saved. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. It is hell on earth. The only thing left to do is to acknowledge your sin and surrender your life to Jesus. Only then you shall have peace.

I hope that these words will encourage you to seek and find The Lord Jesus! You who are sick, be sure that your spiritual connection line to God is free. Then you can endure anything anytime for God is with you! Again I say: that is all that matters!

“Father, Son and Holy Ghost I worship You for who You are…for who You are to me … for Your presence, for Your strength, for Your joy, for Your life imparted in my spirit… For the grace bestowed and glory revealed… In Jesus name, amen!”

“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1Jn 3:16, 17)

We know that Jesus laid down His life for us His friends. What many of us do not know is that we have to imitate our Master even in the way we live and love. True love means to be willing to lay down your life and privileges for others, the people that God has given under your care. Love is not just words. Love is more than giving roses… True love is very much a spiritual, sacrificial and practical work.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Ecc 3:22, 23)

This morning my husband suddenly said: ‘Lia, please go and bring that book from my office…’ I was mentally calculating how to get up from bed, take my crotches and go to bring his book. Suddenly he started laughing, saying…’sorry, I forgot that you broke your leg…’ He then got up and brought the book by himself…

“On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul” (Ps 138:3)

Since the day I fell and broke my ankle something wonderful has happened. According to God’s promise, I have been inundated with waves upon waves of spiritual boldness and strength. This is completely supernatural and God alone takes all the glory. The Holy Spirit fills me and encourages me daily, not only to trust God for recovery but to continue to do ministry to them who are under my care. I am speaking of my children, natural and spiritual, and the other sheep in my flock. I pray and intercede for them like never before. Just in case you have forgotten… It is only my bone that is broken. My spirit and my voice are stronger now. There is no fear, self pity, doubt or confusion left in me. Glory to God!

This is my declaration in Christ: I have received strength in my soul. To understand this statement let me explain… Man is created by God and it is made of three parts: the body, the soul and the spirit. The best picture is an egg. The body is like the shell of the egg. That is the visible part of man that houses the soul. The body is not very strong. It can be sick and weakens with age. One day the body dies and the soul is released. The soul is like white of the egg. It is invisible and dwells inside the house of the body. It is the peculiar part that gives you identity, that makes you to be you. The soul has three components:
1. The mind (the capacity to think, to imagine, to memorize…)
2. The emotions (the capacity to love, to feel, to be poetic…)
3. The will (the capacity to make decisions).

The spirit of man is like the yellow yoke of the egg. That is where the life is. It has three components also: the conscience, the capacity to worship and the spiritual intuition to know God directly. Like an egg without a yoke, before you are born again the spirit is dead. God is Spirit and He only talks to the spirit of man. That is why you need to become born again before you can hear the voice of God.

Now back to the soul… Different people have different levels of strength in each of these components of the soul. Some are more intelligent than others. Some are more emotional and loving than others. Some are stronger willed and when they decide something they do not look back.

This is my testimony: the Holy Spirit has strengthened my mind, my emotions and my will. I have a sound mind. I am more creative, more imaginative now than before the trial. My memory is stronger. I remember the scriptures faster and quickly applied them to my situation. My love for God and for my family (natural and spiritual) had increased. I feel tender, loving, caring, more prayerful and strong. My will is stronger. I have put my hands to the plow and there is no looking back.

As for me and my household we shall continue to serve The Lord until that Day. There is no shaking! If the devil thought that by breaking my leg he had conquered me, he has been seriously disappointed. There is confusion in the camp of my enemies. If the devil did not want me to become a better wife, a stronger mother, a more anointed pastor, he should have left me alone. Like we say in Nigeria… ‘Devil miss road’. With this new living strength in my soul I am getting ready for greater exploits for my King and my Lord! Warri and Effurun Nigeria must experience revival from on high! God will do it! This is my stand! In Jesus name, amen!

“For who has despised the day of little things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel– these are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth.” (Zech 4:10)

Today I can see that there is a clear improvement in my health condition. The first thing I can say is this: the pain is almost gone. The second testimony is that I am more stable and less shaky when walking with the crotches. A week ago I could have laughed at such ‘testimonies’. These are called ‘small things’… Who bothers to observe them? They do not make the news… These improvements are easily despised by men who are strong and well. But for us, the needy people, the sick people, each improvement is gratefully acknowledged and rejoiced over. It does me good to think like this!

This is my testimony… The devil pushed me and I fell… I broke my left ankle…My Lord Jesus heard my cry… He heard my prayers for help… He wiped my tears… He strengthen me… He came down to lift me up from the pit of trouble… Jesus healed me… Love lifted me! To God alone be all the glory!