© Ayo Omolayo
I opened the door to Ella’s room and found her sitting on her bed with her Bluetooth headphones on her ears.
“Ella! Ella! You have to help me! I’m finished! I have done the abominable!” I said shaking her vigorously.
“Yes! What happened?” She asked smiling.
She looked at my face properly and noticed I wasn’t looking myself.
“Juliet what happened?” She asked now showing concern.
“Please talk to God on my behalf! I have offended him so badly! I have pushed a soul into hell. I have been begging God to forgive me ever since, but he’s not replying me.
Please talk to him on my behalf! He had abandoned me!
I don’t want him to abandon me, please! What can I do? Please help me!”
“Juliet please calm down! What have you done? How did you push a soul into Hell?”
I started to narrate me story. How I ran out of school from a teacher and bumped into my friend. I narrated how I ended up shattering the only hope of my friend.
Even when my friend had a little hope left in her. I dragged it away from her and smashed it on the ground. I am nothing but an absolute failure.
“Even God is tired of me. He has refused to speak to me. I feel like killing myself. Why me? Why all these battle? Why would God expect so much from me when he knows very well that I’m nothing but a failure?”
Ella quickly placed a finger on my lips and shushed me.
“It alright darling!” She said and took me in a hug.
She patted my back gently like a caring mum would and rocked back and forth.
I felt like she was doing way too much than I deserved. I deserved to be rebuked, punished, hated and abandoned to grieve in my room.
Why was she pouring out her love on me?
“What did you say was the problem with hearing God again?” She asked still holding me.
I clenched my teeth and shut my eyes tightly.
“God stopped speaking to me. Since morning. The only time he spoke to me, he was seriously angry”, I answered.
She chuckled and rubbed my hair softly.
“Daddy! You know I won’t take no for an answer. No! She’s my friend! Daddy! You know I won’t take that! You have to come oooo! Daddy! Can’t you see she’s sorry! Okay! I’ll talk to her! Just come first so that she can relax!”
This was what I heard Ella whispering while holding on to me. She was talking to God like her bestie. Here I was begging her to speak to God on my behalf because I was nothing but a shame. Ahhh! What is wrong with me? Father have mercy on me.
“Where are you my darling darling ooo
Your baby is calling on you ooo”.
She began her love song and I didn’t dare to join her in singing it.
I felt if I did the Holy Ghost would not come. It was her voice he was drawn to, not mine. I better close my dirty mouth and not spoil things for myself.
“Father please! Show me mercy! Have mercy on me! I’m so sorry! Please forgive me! I’m the worst sinner on earth. I’m the chief of sinners. My sins are many. Please don’t leave me alone”, I prayed within me while Ella sang.
“JULIET! I’M HERE”, Came the gentle whisper.
I jumped out of Ella’s grip.
“He’s here! He’s here! Oh my goodness! He’s back!” I screamed in excitement.
I hugged her tightly.
“Thank you so much! Thank you for not judging and criticizing me. I expected you to blame me for all I did today. But all you did was to comfort me and assure me of God’s love despite my failures.
Thank you so much Emmanuella!” I said holding on to her”
She patted my back and rubbed my hair softly.
“Actually Juliet! There’s something you need to learn!” She said and pulled me into a sitting position.
I sat down and watched her intensely, ready to listen to anything she had to say.
“God never stopped talking. God is always talking! You were the one who stopped listening”.
I was confused. I talked to him and wasn’t getting any response in my spirit. How could she say I was the one not listening?
“We are usually the ones who allow different things stop us from hearing the voice of God. We allow anxiety, fear and lack of faith stop us.
Each time you ask that inner voice a question. No matter how stupid the question is, just give it a second. You’ll get a response in your spirit immediately. Have you noticed that?”
I nod my head in affirmation.
“God is always responding. Sometimes he doesn’t speak with the inner voice, but arrests your inner peace. You become restless and you don’t know why the moment you started talking in a certain way, fear started griping you. You lose your peace. Did you notice you started becoming restless as you spoke to Fejiro? Am I correct?”
“Yes!”
“That’s how he sometimes call our attention when we’re going astray. Just have this at the back of your mind. Whenever you want to hear the voice of God in your spirit, just ask a question and you’ll always get a response.
Sometimes his response may come in a bible scripture. Like, when you say, daddy where are you? You may not get a direct answer, but a scripture would drop in your spirit. I will never leave you nor forsake you. That was his response.
But we allow our anxiety and fear, plus lack of faith block our spiritual ears. A troubled heart can never hear from God. A worried mind will not even sense it when God is talking.
That’s why the bible says, be still and know that I am God. To hear from God requires stillness.
I’m not saying that until a place is quiet before you can hear God in your spirit. He doesn’t require a quiet environment all the time to hear his voice. He can engage you in a conversation in a noisy classroom and you’ll be out of this world, enjoying his presence.
All he needs is a still soul. A troubled soul cannot hear his voice. That’s the reason why anytime he’s speaking in the bible, he usually uses this statement, ‘Fear not’. Why?
Fear would break the channel of communication. It would destroy the link and make it look as if God is not saying anything, but he is. The troubleness of your soul would not allow you get what he’s saying.
Is he going to reply? What is he going to say? Is he going to approve this relationship I’m about to start? I don’t want him to say no!
All these fear and anxiety would do nothing but build a wall of confusion in your spirit and even the message God has for you would not be noticed.
It looks as if I’m talking too much. Now I want you to do a little practical. Ask God this question right now. Why did you abandon me? Just be still and listen to anything he’ll say in your spirit. Be still and ask him that question”.
I exhaled and asked as I was instructed to.
“Daddy, why did you abandon me?”
Immediately, I could hear him replying the question I just asked in my heart.
“JULIET, I NEVER ABANDONED YOU! YOU WERE THE ONE WHO ABANDONED ME. HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT IT WAS THE PRODIGAL SON THAT PACKED HIS THINGS AND LEFT THE HOUSE?
THE FATHER WAS ALWAYS THERE AND HAD ALWAYS BEEN THERE. HE LEFT THE HOUSE AND WAS BUSY SUFFERING ON THE STREETS, STAVING AND EATING WITH PIGS, WHILE HE HAD A RICH DAD AND A BEAUTIFUL MANSION.
HE LEFT THE HOUSE WHERE HIS FATHER’S VOICE COULD BE HEARD AND WAS LIVING AMONG PIGS, HEARING THE GRUNTING OF PIGS ON A DAILY BASIS. HE COULD NOT HEAR THE VOICE OF HIS FATHER BECAUSE HE HAD LEFT HIS FATHER.
THE PRODIGAL SON DECIDED TO RETURN HOME AND THAT WAS WHERE HE MET HIS FATHER AGAIN AND COULD HEAR HIS VOICE CLEARLY.
GOD NEVER ABANDONS US. WE ARE THE ONES WHO DISTANCE OURSELVES FROM HIM THROUGH OUR DISOBEDIENCE.
DO YOU REMEMBER ADAM AND EVE. ON A NORMAL DAY, I WOULD PAY A VISIT TO THE GARDEN AND THEY WOULD COME OUT AND HUG ME. WE WOULD LAUGH AND PLAY TOGETHER. GIST AND I WOULD TEACH THEM A LOT OF THINGS.
BUT ON THAT FAITHFUL DAY, I CAME TO THE GARDEN AS USUAL AND THE FIRST THING ADAM DID WHEN HE HEARD MY VOICE WAS TO HIDE HIMSELF.
WHO ABANDONED WHO?”
“Man”, I answered.
“I DIDN’T ABANDON MAN? IT WAS MAN THAT ABANDONED ME FOR THE PLEASURES OF SIN. BY THE TIME HE MANAGED TO COME OUT I DISCOVERED HE WAS PUTTING ON RUBBISH. I HAD TO GET HIM SOMETHING BEFITTING TO WEAR.
THE MORE HE RAN AWAY FROM ME, THE MORE HE WAS NAKED. THE MOMENT HE STEPPED OUT AND APPROACHED ME, HIS NAKEDNESS WAS HISTORY.
SO DID I ABANDON YOU?”
“No sir! I’m so sorry”, I whispered.
“Juliet! What did he say?” Ella asked.
I smiled and shook my head.
“He said he never abandoned me. That I was the one who abandoned him. He even used the prodigal son and Adam as a case study”.
“Wow! I can’t believe it. This is awesome!” She said grinning.
I knelt down and raised my hands in the air.
“Thank you Jesus! Lord I am so grateful! I bless your name! You are worthy!
When I think of all your goodness
And your faithfulness each day
I confess it’s not because I am worthy
To receive the kind of love that you give.
But I’m grateful for your mercy,
And I’m grateful for your grace,
And because of how you’ve poured out yourself,
I have come to sing this song out in praise.
Imela imela oka ka
Onyekeruwa
Imela imela
Ezemuo…
Ella knelt down beside me and held my hand and we began to worship God together.
It had not been an easy journey for me. But if God could restore a sinner like me, I believe he can get Fejiro back. I know he can. There’s nothing too difficult for him to handle. I know it and I am so grateful.
“Daddy! How do I get Fejiro back on her feet? I asked.
“PRAY FOR HER”.
“Okay sir! I will! I won’t fail you a second time. I’m not going to disappoint you again”.
“YOU MEAN YOU’RE STILL IN THE JESUS ARMY, RIGHT?”
“Yes sir! I’m ready to do anything for you Lord! If you can forgive me despite my too many failures, you deserve my all!” I replied.
“THE BARRACKS ARE ALWAYS OPEN. DAY IN AND DAY OUT, SOLDIERS ARE ABANDONING THEIR TRAINING. MANY CHRISTIANS ARE PACKING OUT BECAUSE OF THE RIGOURS OF THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF CHRISTIANS. THE CIVILIAN CHRISTIAN AND THE MILITARY CHRISTIAN.
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT IS MORE EASY TO BE A CIVILIAN THAN TO BE A SOLDIER. AM I CORRECT?”
“Yes ooo! Me I don’t like trouble at all. I will prefer to be a civilian christian. Just a citizen of heaven is okay for me”.
“THAT’S TRUE! BUT CAN I SHARE A SECRET WITH YOU?”
“A secret with me?” I asked grinning.
“YES”.
“Please go ahead!”
“NO CIVILIAN CHRISTIAN WILL EVER MAKE HEAVEN”.
It was as if they threw a bomb at me. What is the meaning of this?
“LUKE 13:23. THEN SAID ONE UNTO HIM, LORD, ARE THERE FEW THAT BE SAVED? AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,
VERSE 24. STRIVE TO ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE: FOR MANY, I SAY UNTO YOU, WILL SEEK TO ENTER IN, AND SHALL NOT BE ABLE.
THAT MANY THAT WOULD NOT BE ABLE ARE THOSE WHO REFUSE TO JOIN THE ARMY.
LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION, DO CIVILIANS KNOW HOW TO FIGHT WHEN WAR BREAKS OUT?”
“No sir”,
“APOSTLE PAUL SAID PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL. AM I CORRECT?”
“Yes sir”.
“DOES A CIVILIAN PUT ON ARMOUR?”
“No”.
“SO IF A CIVILIAN DOESN’T PUT ON ARMOUR, WHEN THE DEVIL COMES WITH HIS SPIRITUAL COMMANDOS, WILL THEY DESTROY THAT CIVILIAN BELIEVER?”
“Yes”, I answered.
“SO I ASK YOU AGAIN, ARE YOU IN THE LORD’S ARMY?”
To be continued……..
Hmmmmm! The civilian christian and the Military christian.
The day God taught me this, I was shocked beyond measure.
If you don’t want to pay the price to build your prayer life and study the word of God on a daily basis, forget about heaven.
Brethren, it is a must. It is war! I know it’s not easy, but do you want it that bad? Then go for it!
Pay the price! Satan has vowed to take your soul with him to Hell!
You too vow and tell him that he’s going to fail, because you’re going to fight him so madly.
How would you allow prayerlessness to eat you up? Why won’t you discipline your body and rise up to pray?
Satan is merciless!
I repeat
Satan is merciless!
You have no other option than to fight him. Build that prayer life! It’s the only way to gather enough energy to confront the devil!
INSPIRED BY THE BREAD OF LIFE
WRITTEN BY AYO OMOLAYO
YOUR BROTHER IN CHRIST 🙏
Thank you author God bless you,This story is really an impact to me