© Ayo Omolayo
I ran as fast as I could. See the way fear wanted to finish me. I was still watching the movie when suddenly the voice came strongly in my spirit.
“I GIVE YOU 2 MINUTES TO GET OUT OF THIS PLACE OR ELSE YOU WILL BEG ME TO COME BACK AND I WILL NOT LISTEN TO YOU. SO YOU STILL WISH TO SACRIFICE OPE LIKE YOU DID TO FEJIRO?”
Immediately, I jumped out of the sofa. I ran upstairs to get my bible. Lord I’m sorry ooo! Please forgive me!
I sat down on the bed panting as I tried to catch my breath.
“Daddy I’m sorry!” I said repeatedly as I wasn’t getting the response I was expecting to get.
“Daddy please!”
“IT’S ALRIGHT! I DON’T WANT YOU WATCHING CARTOONS ANY MORE IN THIS HOUSE!”
“Haaaa! Daddy! I’m sorry! Please!”
“I HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU! IF YOU LIKE OBEY, IF YOU LIKE DON’T OBEY!”
“I’m so sorry daddy! How do I survive without my television?”
“THAT TELEVISION IS EVEN GETTING ME ANGRY. YOU HAVE BEEN SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME ON MOVIES OF RECENT. THE WAY YOU HAVE GIVING MOVIES YOUR TIME IS BECOMING TOO MUCH. IF YOU’RE REALLY GOING TO GROW, YOU MUST MAKE SOME SACRIFICES.
YOU NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME IN THE PLACE OF PRAYER. THERE ARE STILL SOME CHARACTER IN YOU THAT NEED TO BE TRASHED. BUT TRANSMISSION CANNOT HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE UNTIL YOU LEARN TO SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH ME IN THE PLACE OF PRAYER. THAT’S WHAT GIVES YOU THE TRANSFORMATION YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE NEEDS.
BUT YOU SIT DOWN WITH THOSE MOVIES THAT HAVE NO SPIRITUAL OR ETERNAL VALUE, FOR WHAT?”
“I’m sorry sir! I will reduce the rate at which I watch it!”
“DON’T REDUCE ANYTHING. DROP IT COMPLETELY!”
“Haaaa! You want to kill me! What will I be watching if I don’t watch those cartoons and action movies?”
“GET CHRISTIAN MOVIES AND WATCH. GET KENDRICK BROTHERS MOVIES, MOUNT ZION MOVIES AND LOTS MORE. NO MORE JUNK WATCHING!”
“Haaaa! Daddy please na!”
“I’M NOT FORCING YOU! FEEL FREE TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. BUT ANYTIME YOU WANT TO BE SERIOUS WITH ME AND YOUR DESTINY, YOU’LL MEET ME AT THIS SAME CLASS.
YOU CAN GO BACK TO YOUR MOVIE, WE ARE CLOSED FOR TODAY!”
“Haaaa! Daddy! I thought you wanted to teach me about the root of jealousy?”
“YES! BUT YOU’RE MORE INTERESTED IN SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS. I DON’T NEED TO WASTE MY TIME!”
“No sir! I am ready to do anything for you. I am ready to give up whatever you want. You want my cartoons, you can have it. Fejiro cannot be disappointed again. I’m so sorry!”
“IT’S ALRIGHT. LOOKS LIKE YOU LIKE IRON HAND TOO MUCH. YOU’RE SERIOUSLY GETTING USED TO IT.”
“No please. I promise to be a good girl!” I said smiling.
“OKAY!”
“But you’ll promise to buy me biscuits from being a good girl!”
“YOU’RE NOT SERIOUS!” Daddy replied admist laughter.
I was glad the atmosphere was no longer tense. Thanks to my sense of humour.
“So daddy, I have two questions to ask, but before I ask them, I want to learn what you have for me. The root of jealousy. Can you please tell me that one thing that causes jealousy.
“OPEN TO GENESIS 4:1.”
I quickly opened to the passage and read aloud.
“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
Verse 2. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Verse 3. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Verse 4. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Verse 5. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Verse 6. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Verse 7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Verse 8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”
“STOP THERE!”
I paused.
“NOW THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT GOD’S CONVERSATION WITH CAIN THAT DRAWS OUR INTEREST. FIRST THE BIBLE SAYS THAT CAIN WAS ANGRY AND JEALOUS, BECAUSE HIS BROTHER’S SACRIFICE WAS ACCEPTED BY GOD AND HIS OWN WAS REJECTED.
NOW READ WHAT GOD TOLD HIM AGAIN.”
“And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Verse 7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”
“THIS ACTUALLY MEANS THAT THERE IS A BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND CAIN. CAIN WAS NOT JUST A REBELLIOUS SON OF ADAM, HE WAS A TRUE CHILD OF GOD. HE WAS LIKE A CHRISTIAN GOING THROUGH CRISIS IN HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND WAS STRUGGLING TO SURRENDER OR SHOULD I SAY OBEY GOD.
NOW AS A RESULT OF HIS DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD, HE DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS TOO DIFFICULT TO PLEASE GOD AND HE SETTLED DOWN FOR FAILURE. HE SETTLED DOWN FOR SPIRITUAL MEDIOCRITY. HE ACCEPTED HIS BACKSLIDING STATE AND SPIRITUAL LAZINESS AS GOD’S WILL FOR HIM.
DO YOU KNOW THERE ARE BELIEVERS LIKE THIS?”
“Yes!”
“THESE ARE THE KIND OF BELIEVERS WITH THIS PARTICULAR SLOGAN, I HAVE TRIED AND TRIED TO LIVE A CONSISTENT SPIRITUAL LIFE. I HAVE TRIED AND TRIED TO LIVE A LIFE PLEASING TO GOD AND THE ONLY THING THAT I GET IN RETURN IS FAILURE. THIS LIFE IS NOT FOR ME. I DON’T THINK I CAN LIVE A LIFE PLEASING TO GOD. THE STRUGGLE IS TOO MUCH. SINCE I CANNOT MEET UP WITH GOD, LET ME CONTINUE WITH THIS LIFE OF A FAILURE. I CANNOT CONTINUE MAKING ATTEMPTS.
THE PRICE FOR MY SPIRITUAL LIFE IS TOO MUCH. I CANNOT BE PRAYING EVERYDAY. I CANNOT BE FASTING EVERY WEEK. TO STUDY THE BIBLE IN THIS MY BUSY SCHEDULE IS TOO DEMANDING. SO THIS IS WHAT I’LL DO. I’LL DO THE LITTLE RELIGION I CAN, AND LEAVE THE DIFFICULT INSTRUCTIONS DISOBEYED.
NOW THE FACT THAT THEY CANNOT OBEY GOD DOESN’T HELP THEM. THE NATURAL NATURE OF MAN IS SIN. SO THERE’S A DISEASE THEY CONTACT IMMEDIATELY. IT’S CALLED JEALOUSY.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM IS THAT THEY HAVE FAILED TO OBEY GOD, SO THEY ALSO BELIEVE THAT EVERY OTHER PERSON IS ALSO STRUGGLING TO OBEY GOD LIKE THEM. THEY ALSO ASSUME THAT NO ONE IS PAYING THE PRICE LIKE THEM. THEY ALSO BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE IS DISOBEYING THE DIFFICULT DEMANDS OF THE CROSS OF JESUS. THEY BELIEVE THAT SINCE THEY COULDN’T PAY THE PRICE, NO ONE WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY IT AS WELL.
BUT SOMEHOW, THEY ARE SHOCKED TO SEE THE RESULTS OF OTHER BELIEVERS. THEY ARE SHOCKED TO SEE PRAYING CHRISTIANS, WHO GENUINELY CARRY THE SPIRIT OF PRAYER IN THEM. THEY ARE SHOCKED TO SEE PEOPLE LIVING IN HOLINESS. THEY ARE SHOCKED TO SEE PEOPLE SUCCEEDING IN WHAT THEY TERMED IMPOSSIBLE.
THEY ARE SHOCKED TO SEE THAT THING THEY STRUGGLE TO DO, DONE WITH SO MUCH EASE BY SOMEONE THEY LEAST EXPECTED. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY ARE LEFT WITH TWO OPTIONS.ONE, APPROACH THAT PERSON AND BEG THEM TO TEACH YOU HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE IT, OR THE OTHER WAY ROUND, WHICH IS JEALOUSY.
THIS IS THE ROOT CAUSE FOR JEALOUSY. WATCHING OTHERS SUCCEED IN AREAS WHERE YOU FAILED. TAKE DAVID AND SAUL FOR EXAMPLE. SAUL WAS A MAN WHO HAD EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO OBEY GOD AND SERVE HIM. BUT HE KEPT DISOBEYING AND DISOBEYING UNTIL GOD SAID IT WAS OVER.
GOD LEFT HIM AND WENT TO PICK ANOTHER MAN. A MAN WHO WILL DO ALL HIS GOOD WILL AND EXECUTE HIS PLANS. SO SAUL HAD TO WATCH DAVID OBEYING GOD RIGHT IN HIS VERY PRESENCE AND PROSPER. BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS A BLESSING ATTACHED TO OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD.
SAUL TRIED TO OBEY GOD AND KEPT FAILING AND FAILING. BUT HERE WAS DAVID, BECOMING BETTER AND BETTER IN HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. JEALOUSY CAME AND ATE HIM UP.
THAT WAS THE REASON WHY GOD CHALLENGED CAIN IN THAT VERSE. CAN YOU READ IT AGAIN?”
“Verse 6. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Verse 7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”
“DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”
“Yes! Cain was like a believer who has not been observing his quiet time. He was like a believer who the Holy Ghost had been telling to take his relationship with God serious. But he was busy giving excuses. I am tired, I cannot pray. I am feeling sleepy, I cannot read my bible. My stomach is doing me somehow, I cannot fast.
Now! He gets to see someone fasting. Now, he gets to see someone who can pray more than him. Now, he gets to meet a man who has sat down with the bible and was now I guru in the word of God.
And here’s God telling him. Why are you sad? Have I not been disturbing you to always spend time in the place of prayers? Have I not come to wake you several times to read your bible? Have I not been disturbing you countless times to pick a day in the the week that you would fast on a weekly basis?
So why are you sad? If you had obeyed me, wouldn’t you have gotten the same results this other christian is having?
Chai! Jesus is Lord! Haaaaa! This is where they usually say that you either suffer the pain of discipline or you suffer the pain of regret. Haaaa! It’s either you pay the price or you regret not paying it.
So instead of regretting and crying to God for a second chance, Cain decided to hate that successful believer. Instead of being humble and approach the brother to ask him how he managed to succeed at the area where you failed. You begin to hate him and speak evil about him.
Your fault was that, failure to look after your spiritual life, makes the carnal life in charge. So, the works of the flesh are definitely going to manifest. And one of the works of the flesh is jealousy. Wow!
No wonder God said in verse 7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”
If you do not take or make use of this opportunity and repent, sin will take over your soul and you’ll begin to fulfill it’s desires. Sin there was referring to the flesh.”
“THAT’S ABSOLUTELY TRUE. THE FLESH WAS SET, READY TO BECLOUD HIS THINKING AND MAKE HIM SEE HIS SUCCESSFUL SPIRITUAL BROTHER AS HIS ENEMY. AND IMMEDIATELY CAIN REFUSED TO BOW BEFORE GOD AND ASK FOR MERCY. WHEN CAIN REFUSED TO APPROACH HIS BROTHER AND BEG HIM TO PUT HIM THROUGH. WHEN CAIN REFUSED TO APPROACH GOD AND ASK HIM FOR HELP, HE ENDED UP GIVING IN TO THE FLESH.
THAT WAS EXACTLY THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO YOU TODAY.”
“Haaaa! No Daddy! Please help me! I am ready to obey your every command. I will not disobey you anymore and become a slave to jealousy. I will not struggle with you anymore. Holy Spirit take over! Take over, I have come to the end of myself!” I prayed as I went down on my knees.
To be continued………
How many of you can relate to this experience.
Success is not stamped on anyone’s forehead. Even a lesbian or a chronic fornicator. A girl in your department who dresses naked to class, can be the best student in your class. And you that tie Head tie to class, will be struggling with E and saying, ‘ Thank God I did not have carryover!’
Whoever obeys the principles of success will have the results following. God is not an unjust God. While you were busy sleeping, this girl was reading her books. While you were busy saying, ‘These lecturers will not kill us with wicked assignment.’ She was busy doing her assignments.
God will reward everyone according to his works.
The same goes for your spiritual life. While others are busy praying and breaking into higher dimensions and greater realms in God, you were busy giving the Holy Ghost excuses.
While others were busy studying the bible, you said you were feeling sleepy. And when others were denying themselves food, inorder to fast. You said you cannot endure a day without food.
So when God is blessing them tomorrow. Make sure you smile very well and rejoice with them genuinely. You had every opportunity to have what they have, but you gave excuses, instead of paying the price.
This message is for someone.
INSPIRED BY THE BREAD OF LIFE
WRITTEN BY AYO OMOLAYO
YOUR BROTHER IN CHRIST 🙏
