TESTIMONY

For reasons beyond our control, we could not hold our women’ fellowship for two months. We were all eager to meet again to pray. The Holy Spirit gave me the ‘push’ and the word for the Women in our church. Yesterday we were to have the fellowship. I was ready to confront the evil spirit of Jezebel (also known as the Queen of heaven, Mammy water or Ogbanje). I was also ready to lead the prayer session. This was so that all the sisters who will come to church may be inspired to follow the lead and pray deliverance for themselves and their families. A leader must lead! The only problem was that yesterday I woke up without my voice. I could only speak in whispers. That made me even more angry with the devil!

The Holy Spirit gave me a word from Jeremiah 44. The people of God refused to listen to the Prophet Jeremiah. The women were leading in the stubborn rebellion. They decided to ‘relocate’ to Egypt. God has told Jeremiah that His people shall be sent to Babylon, to live in exile for 70 years. This will be so that they will become humble. But God promised to be with them throughout the journey, to Babylon and back. There shall be grace in this loving chastisement. But some of the people of God, led by some women, decided to go to Egypt where God did not send them. Over there, they publicly declared that since they stopped serving the Queen of Heaven and decided to serve only Jehovah, their lives have become worse. They are now poor, sick and depressed. Based on what their eyes see, they decided not only to go back to Egypt to live there, but they shall go back to serve the Queen of Heaven. They decided to backslide so that they lives will be better. This is complete nonsense! The women were leading in this foolishness and their ‘mumu’ husbands agreed with them. Of course, God was angry and told them so thru the prophet Jeremiah. They rejected God, His prophet and His words. God said that His people who were sent to Babylon shall be brought back. But the Jews who went Egypt by themselves, shall all perish there. Like we say in Nigeria: ‘If God no sent you, you are on your own. Anything you see, you take am’. It is true that both Babylon and Egypt and worldly countries. But there is a difference!

What is the lesson for us? If God sends you to a difficult place, His grace and presence will be with you there. The process is to humble you so that the same God will bless you at last. But if you decide to ‘punish yourself’, to a false humility, without the presence of God, no place can be a paradise on earth. It is the presence of God that marks the child of God and not the location! For example: many Nigerians I know who live in Warri tell me that their dream is to live in New York. But without the presence of God, New York will be hell for them. But when God is with you, even Warri becomes the Garden of Eden (I am a witness to this!).

This was the word God gave me to share with the women. There was fire on my bones. The only problem was that I could only speak in whispers. Jemine, my daughter asked me ‘Malia, how can you preach without a voice?’ I told her that ‘even if I have to preach with my nose, I will still go there to encourage the women to fight for their souls and families’. After we praised GOD and shared testimonies, it was my time to stand and talk. I took the microphone and I started talking in a whisper. But the more I talked, the more the anointing increased. In my weakness, God proved Himself strong on my behalf. After some minutes, my voice got stronger. The prayer session was so powerful!!! The Holy Spirit helped all of us to stand, pray, prophesy and reject this demon. Like we say in Warri ‘pidgin English’, ‘mammy water shocked in’. I Christ, we are free! We have the victory! I expect great testimonies of healing, deliverance and breakthroughs at all levels. To God be all the glory! ”

This morning I woke up happy and strong. And guess what? My voice is back! “Jesusssss….”

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2Cor 12:8-10)

“Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit! Be smart enough to stop! ” (PV 23:4)

To be quickly rich without any labor, this is the dream of all sinners. That is the foundation of gambling.
Gambling – definition: To play a game for money or property; to bet, to take a chance, to risk on an uncertain outcome; to expose yourself to danger and to proceed in the face of it.

The attraction of gambling is love for entertainment and the love of money. Both are very addictive strongholds of satan. The victims are people who are lazy, covetous, foolish and ambitious in the same time. That combination is deadly. Gambling is a scheme to escape labor, but in reality, gambling is an evil spirit that kills and destroys.

In the U S gambling is an industry of billions of dollars. The lottery is the favorite legal gambling. Gambling is the fastest growing addiction in the world. 1/7 teenagers and 1/10 adults that gamble will end up as addicted to it. Gambling wrecks homes and marriages. The business is wicked and it attracts all type of men but especially the poor who believe in the get rich quick schemes. The poor neighborhoods have the highest number of location for gambling and lottery. These are sold in poor grocery stores to attract the people who buy food. Many times a poor man has gone home to his family without food and just with a lottery slip and the promise of millions. ‘The American Dream’ is intimately connected with the evil spirit of gambling.
The casinos machines are built in such a way that 80-90% of the winning numbers go to the patron. The chance to win there is minimal but the attraction to make money without work is very high. Even the few that win, statistics say that they will lose all their money in maximum two years and they are back to gamble again, ready to sell even their soul to satan.

If you study the Word of God and His ways you can deduce that gambling is a sin and it is to be rejected as a practice to make money. Gambling violates God’s law because of the following:

1-The foundation and the attraction of it is the love of money, which is evil.‘Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income’ (Ecc 5:10)

2-Gambling encourages laziness and covetousness in the same time. The Bible says that we should work and be good stewards of the income we make. We are to tithe to God, then use the remaining to take care of the family. Any surplus we are to invest it as seed in the work of God or to save for emergencies in the future. ‘Lazy hands make a man poor but diligent hands bring wealth’ (PV 10:4); ‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife…’ (Ex 20:17)

3-Gambling may be entertaining but it is very addictive. All addictions are sins because they master the person who becomes a slave to them. ‘A man is a slave to whatever has mastered him’ (2Pet 2:19)

4-Gambling gives false hope to people and builds false imaginations. God is to be our only hope. Our future is joyful because God, in Christ, will change our sorrow into glory. Any other hope of riches and fame outside Christ is false and criminal. ‘The hopes of the wicked come to nothing…when a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power come to nothing’ (PV 10:28; 11:7); ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom 15:13)

5-Gambling does not give glory to God but to the ‘luck or fortune’ of men. There are things in this world that may not be bad in themselves, but they are not beneficial to the kingdom of God and to our testimony as believers. ‘Everything is permissible for me but not everything is beneficial…but I will not be mastered by anything…but not everything is constructive’ (1Cor 6:12; 10:23)
That means that gambling does no good to me or to others. Its hope of success is a deception that will only destroy my life and my family. It is the entertainment of the devil and it is to be rejected, in Jesus’ name!

6-Man was created in the image of God. But gambling makes a man to be a fool ‘Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay is the man who gains riches by unjust means. When his life is gone, they will desert him and in the end he proves to be a fool’ (Jer 17:11); God is angry with them that believe in the idol of fortune or gambling. This is because it makes the people deaf to God’s voice and stubborn to His leading. Gambling is the backslider’s god and the fantasy of the rebellious (Is 65:11,12)

Let’s pray: ‘Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that you expose this wicked, seducing, evil spirit of gambling so that we can hate it enough to separate from it totally. We ask for forgiveness for any desire to be lazy, to cheat or to covet, and desire wealth in the same time. Let Your light shine on our understanding! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!’

“Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, “Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!” (Dan 7:5)

These are the ‘last days’. Wickedness mixed with religion is increasing. In particular, there is an attack on the marriages. The beast has taken three ribs in his mouth. Ribs represent women; wives in particular. There is no opposition to stop his appetite. This beast is bold enough to put asunder what God has put together. The beast is the devil. It is clear: the devil hates godly marriages because they symbolized the love and the unity between Christ and His Body, the Church! You cannot have a happy and successful marriage without doing warfare in the name of Jesus!

“The Lord God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made the woman from the rib. This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and they will become one flesh… The Lord will create a new thing on earth: a woman will surround a man” (Gen 2:18; Jer 31:22)

Our grandson Oliver, in front of a cross made of flowers, in front of the church he attends with his parents. In fact, he is under the shadow of that cross. Fully covered by the Blood of Jesus! As you can see, he was very happy to see the cross. Just in case you have forgotten: Jesus dies for our sins and on the third He rose again! Hallelujah!

This picture was taken 6 years ago today during the construction of our church. This young sister, her name is Pat. She works very hard at the church’ site during all her holidays from school. She does the same work as the brothers. She can drive the bobcat and carries cement too. She asks not for any special privileges. God bless her and all the servants of God who quietly work and faithfully serve the King!

1).Yesterday’s Wives.
Welcome my husband, hope the office was not stressful.,
your favorite food is ready, let me lead you to the bathroom
first,then you take your dinner, you look so tired, am sure
you’ll be okay after taking your dinner, welcome my one and
only.

Today’s Wives
Please don’t put unnecessary pressure on me, you can go
to the fridge pick up the stew, microwave it and boiled the
remaining rice, i am your wife and not your cook.

2).Yesterday’s Wives
Darling stop thinking about our lack of money.its going to
be temporary.God will see us through and we are going to
come out of it stronger. After all, we can still feed ourselves
and the children.We need to give the Almighty that glory.I
am with you through thick and thin,my husband,the owner
of my dowry.

Today’s Wives
Look I am sick and tired of living in this abject poverty with you.Why did you bring me to your house when you know that you are not ready for marriage?Every day is one complaint or the other.Are you the complainant general of Nigeria.We don’t have cars,our house is in Tudunwada,when your mates are in GRA. Look if you don’t find solutions to your problems,you will come back and not find me in this your rotten house.

3).Yesterday’s Wives
My husband,we only have 3 children,don’t you think we should have more.You know children are gifts and mercies from God.And the more the merrier.

Today’s Wives
Look am sick and tired of this marriage.You won’t allow me to rest by your constant urge to have more children.I am okay with our two children.I can’t allow you to spoil my figure 8 by bearing another 4 children.You are so wicked that I feel you want to spoil my psychedelic looks.If you dare force me,I will sue you for rape.

4).Yesterday’s Wives
My husband,take heart and don’t worry.i shall go with you to Zaria. Your being transferred from the glitterati of Abuja to Zaria might be a blessing in disguise.We shall take the advantage of the educational institutions to advance our education.Some disappointments could be a blessing.

Today’s Wives
Me I can’t follow you to Zaria-o.God forbid bad thing.From Abuja to Zaria?I can’t cope with such a demotion.To start living in a village.You had better look for another wife.I can’t live in a city without silver birds, Amigo supermarket or Dunes

5)Yesterday’s Wives
My husband,I have enough clothes.This N30.000 you are giving me, Please, keep it and save for a rainy day.

Today’s Wives
Why are you so stingy?Do you have super glue in your palms?What an insult.What kind of shopping do you want me to do with N50.000? What can I buy?Is it Swiss lace or Dubai gold.I am disappointed in you.Your mates are giving their wives $5000 to shop,here you are humiliating me with Naira. I don’t blame you.It is because I refused to marry Chief Antonio that’s why you are messing up with me-ooo

(Somebody sent me this article. It is funny but it is the truth. I don’t know the professor who write it. The only correction I can make is that what the author calls ‘Yesterday’s wives’ defines born again women of God. Listen! A godly Spirit filled woman of God is not something to be found only in the past, on the shelf of a museum, with dust on her hair… No! For as long as God is God, His children are everywhere. But like the gold is found under the ground and as the genuine pearls are found at the bottom of the sea, you must look for them! Lazy people fall into trouble by marrying worldly people. Pray! Pay the price for godly character, godly marriage and godly friendships! You will never regret it!)

“We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help…Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16; TM; NKJ)

We have arrived before the throne of grace. The Lord Jesus is the High Priest. The Lamb upon the throne is there to give grace and mercy for them who are truly in need. Until we understand the revelation of God’s mercy to sinners, we cannot proceed to the higher realms. This royal mercy is the anchor that connects us to the Lord, more clearly revealed when we stumble and fall.

Grace means unmerited favor from God. He sovereignly gives gifts and blesses His people in spite of their sins. Grace destroys all boasting of self and pride. Of necessity, the release of royal grace leads to worshipping the King.

Mercy is God’s sovereign kindness to a sinner who was His personal enemy. Mercy is God’s attitude of compassion to one who suffers the terrible consequences of his sin. In the absence of mercy, the sinner has to die a slow and terrible death, with no human cure available.

When in great trouble, look up and see the throne. Then you shall see His hand waving to you, calling you ‘Come higher…’ So ‘let us’ come boldly to the only place in the universe where we can find help, protection, provision and miracles.

Please observe… such royal blessings come only to them that are ‘in need’. The Lamb upon the Throne is not available to all in the same way. There are many people who suffer, are poor or sick. God has to qualify your status as a person ‘in need’. The word means to lack something vital, to be in want, poor and suffering unto death. Without the mercy of God, the need will kill you. Need is not a selfish desire or a superficial want. Often we confuse need and want, but God is never deceived.

For the release of mercy, we are invited to come ‘boldly’. It is ‘a need-for-mercy-emergency’! This word is more connected with the speech. It means to pray with confidence and faith. It describes a free, open speech without any manipulation, religious hypocrisy or deception. For example, in the army, a solider has to ask permission from a senior colleague before he can speak openly. It is not enough to be in trouble. He has to ask for the favor of free speech. If permission is not granted, he cannot trespass his boundary and ‘speak up his mind’.

Let’s pray: “Father, I am sorry for the many years I have wasted deceiving myself that I can do it on my own. The truth is that I need You. I need Your mercy and Your grace. I need a fresh touch from You. I need Your power, Your resources and Your guidance. Without You I can do nothing. It has come to that… My need has brought me to You. Please receive me… I am Your child… broken and lonely, homesick and wounded, O Lamb of God I come, I come…”

In Christ I declare:
“I need Thee, Lord, I need Thee, every hour I need Thee… Bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee…”
In Jesus’ name,
Amen!

This is my book. It is a daily prophetic journal. This book is like a puzzle. The daily readings look like scattered pieces, some long and some short. It may seem that there is no particular ‘connection’ between them. You may not see ‘the picture’ initially, but patiently arrange the pieces together. Like a necklace made of pearls, the only string holding them is the Holy Spirit. See these pages as daily food for your spirit and medicine for your body and soul. These are also weapons of righteousness, strong enough to defeat the powers of darkness affecting your environment. Each day has ‘a prophetic’ declaration, reminding us of the treasures we have as believers in Christ. We tend to forget the power of truth spoken aloud. Just to be reminded that ‘I am a child of God!’ is enough to stir my soul each day. This ‘spirit of faith’ is the engine and the power ‘to produce’ miracles.

“You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down… Awaken, O north wind, and come, O south wind. Breathe on my garden, and spread the fragrance of its spices. Let my Beloved come into His garden and taste its choicest fruits” (SS 4:15, 16)

When I got married 45 years ago, I did not know the price, how much it will cost… I did not know what it takes to have a successful godly testimony type of marriage. Thank God that I did not know it, because I could have been discouraged. The price for a holy testimony of spiritual maturity, reflected in ministry and marriage, is very high. According to God’s word, I had to die to self so that Christ can live in me and shine thru me! God used His holy hammer on my heart! Before I understood the ‘surgery’ I cried because of pain. Later, I relaxed and even rejoiced…

‘You saved the best until now’ Lord Jesus… (John 2: 10)

All marriages, no matter how strong, will eventually ‘finish’ their wine of joy and passion and end up ‘dry’: no hatred, no love, just ‘water- surviving’ arrangement. There is a moment when you discover that all the love has been exhausted on daily errands and the boring routine of life. There is a moment when fear will grip the heart that your secret relationship failure will become public display; ‘They have no more wine…’