© Ayo Omolayo
I rinsed the plate and dried them with a towel, while Ella washed them. Susan was preparing breakfast for Dad. We all made up our minds not to eat that day, till 6pm.
Ella suggested we call mummy, but Susan refused. She gave her reasons though, but I was not going to support her.
“Let’s call mummy and tell her we all missed our quiet time. We are not only going to tell her the things we did that were good. We are also going to report ourselves to her when we do something wrong so she can punish us.”
I was wondering if I was the one saying that. Because the Juliet Anderson I know will be in support of Ella.
“You are right. How can we only report ourselves to her when we do something good? That makes us hypocrites. We show her the good side of us so she can praise us, but hide the bad side so she will not rebuke us.
And you know one thing about mentorship which mummy always say. Don’t always depend on the Holy Ghost to reveal something. Always speak out to your mentor.
She also said that as a Mentee, you must not hide things from your mentor. Especially things you don’t want your mentor to know about you.”
“That’s true! Get me my phone let’s call her!” Ella said.
I quickly left and came back with her phone.
There was silence in the kitchen as we all heard the phone ringing, waiting for what mummy would say to us.
“Hello!”
“Hi mum! How are you?”
“I’m fine!” She replied.
“How was your night?”
“There was no night. I was up throughout the night!”
“Oh!”
“Yes Ella! What happened to you and your sisters last night?”
“Mummy I’m sorry!”
“You don’t need to tell me! You and your sisters missed a very serious appointment last night. An appointment that was supposed to arm you all against what was coming for you all very soon.
Hmmmmm! Ella! Have you heard this proverb, people do not plan to fail but fail to plan?”
“Ahhhhh! Mummy!”
“That’s what’s happening right here!”
“Mummy we all slept off! No one was able to rise.”
“Ella you are not telling me everything. What did you do?”
There was a brief silence.
“Mummy, Susan and I increased the food portion yesterday. And we both know daddy would find out if we didn’t finish up the food, so we overate last night and became heavy.
That was the reason why we all slept.”
“What about Juliet? Why didn’t she wake up as well?”
“She….”
“I went to visit a friend, ate at her place and also ate when I came back,” I spoke up.
“Oh! So all of you are there listening to me, right?”
“Yes ma!” We answered in chorus.
“So all of you overate in one night, right?”
“Yes ma!” We answered in unison.
“Can the 3 of you give me one reasons each, why you all slept off, missed your quiet time and your midnight appointment with God at the same time. Ella, let’s start with you!”
Haaaaa! Mummy was ready to deal with us ooo. I can’t believe she was completely angry with us to this level. I wish I knew I wouldn’t have allowed Ella to call her. Why did I do such a stupid thing?
Oh! Was it because I wanted to sound so spiritual? I wanted everyone to be impressed with me? Or I wanted everyone to believe I was the best prayer warrior in the house?
Ewoooo! I don enter one chance. Who will deliver me now?
“Mummy, I am so sorry!” Ella apologized.
“Ella did you go to school?”
“Ma!”
“I asked a simple question. Did you go to school?”
“Yes ma!”
“Good! Do you write exams in school?”
“Of course ma!”
“Okay. Now, question number one says, give one reason why you missed your quiet time, overate and missed your appointment with God. I hope you know I am sorry is zero over ten, right?”
“Mummy!”
“Ella don’t waste my time. Give me my answer.”
“I was not watchful enough!”
“Good! That would be your prayer point. God make me a watchful believer. Yes, where is Susan?”
“I’m here ma!” She answered.
“Good, it’s your turn.”
“I overate ma!”
“Good! That would be your prayer point. Lord reduce the size of my stomach. Take away from me the elastic stomach that can accommodate the meal of two people at once. Let the spirit of gluttony disappear from my life!”
“Yes ma!”
“Where is Julie angel?”
I wondered why mummy chosed I go last. It was what happened that made me realize why.
“Ma!”
“Julie Julie!” She replied sarcastically.
“Ma!”
“Have you seen where someone died and you are trying to wake the person up and the person is not responding and instead of you to go and pray, you begin to watch TV? That’s what I’m seeing right now.
That girl calling you is already dead meat. She’s a talking corpse. Instead of you to pray and knock on the gates of life, you left your prayers to answer phone call.
You don’t need to tell me your reason for missing your quiet time. Rebellion is so strong on you and it is eating the best part of you.
Juliet, as I’m talking to you now, I’m seeing a dark cloud. There is a storm raging. A serious war with the kingdom of darkness is about to emerge.
Haaaa! But God’s warriors are not ready, they were busy sleeping.
You guys should stop whatever you’re doing and start speaking in tongues right now! Start!”
That was how the call ended.
“This is serious!” I said in a frightened tone.
“Hmmmmm! Susan are you done with what you’re cooking?” Ella asked.
“Almost.”
“Juliet, let’s finish this plates and then we march to the upper room to groan!” She said.
“Okay!” I replied and started washing hurriedly.
I had this feeling that we should all suspend what we were doing and start the prayers immediately, but I ignored it and went ahead with the plan of finishing the dishes.
Soon, we were out of the kitchen, but as we all got out of the kitchen, the door bell rang.
“DON’T OPEN THAT DOOR!” Came the stern instruction.
“Mummy!” I heard Ope’s voice.
“Ope! Is that you?”
“Yes! It’s me!” She said from behind the door.
“How did Ope arrive here this morning?”
I saw myself approaching the door.
“Is that Ope?” Ella asked.
“Yes!” I answered.
“DON’T LET HER IN, SEND HER BACK!”
“Good! She will join us in the prayers!” Ella said.
“Why will I drive Ope back? Remember, she was the one asking me if she was disgusting to me and I said no. What would the action of sending her away look like? That would make me a liar. And besides, having Ope as a prayer partner would be a wonderful idea.
I opened the door and met Ope and her entire family at the door. Her father, her mother and her younger sister were all present.
“Good morning everyone!” Daddy Ope greeted with a warm smile.
“Good morning sir!” We all greeted shocked by the visit.
“Can we come in?” He asked when we all stared at the assistant general overseer of INDESTRUCTIBLE FOUNDATION GLOBAL CHURCH.
It was a great honour to have such a great man of God in our midst.
We all sat down and kept our eyes on the man of God as if an angel had appeared in our house. Though the church was not a popular church, but in our area, everyone knows the church very well.
“I was so amazed when my daughter told me about all the things happening in her life. And how God used you to deliver her from the powers that held her down. What amazed me the most was when she said that you were the daughter of mummy Abayomi. I was shocked to the core.
Mummy Abayomi has truly raised a soldier in you. I came to see her really, but also to see you and today thank you.” He said with a warm smile.
We looked at him with rapt attention and listened to him as he spoke to us. As he spoke,I felt uneasy. I remembered we were supposed to be in the place of prayers right now but opening the door had brought us to this level.
There was no way we could leave this family in the living room and go upstairs to pray. We had to stay with our guests until they were ready to leave.
Soon, one hour had passed and the visitors didn’t look like they were not going to leave anytime soon. I looked around and at my sisters. They were so taken in the personality in the living room that they didn’t get the message I was trying to pass to them.
I was finally able to get the opportunity I was looking for when the family stood up and decided it was time to leave.
I was as excited within my heart, but soon, the whole excitement vanished when the daddy of the house came out.
He was so excited to see them, especially Ope’s dad. Soon they all sat down in the living room to gist with the daddy of the house.
“Daddy, is this how Satan fights against prayers?”
“YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH SATAN HATES IT WHEN WE PRAY. HE IS SO EXCITED TO SEE US BECOMING PRAYERLESS. INFACT, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THE DEVIL HAPPY, STOP PRAYING.”
“God forbid!”
Immediately I said that, an idea dropped in my head.
“Daddy, we were about to go upstairs to pray, we would love to head there and leave you with our guests. I hope that’s okay with you?”
“Don’t go yet! There’s something I want you to go to the other end of the street and help me to get.” Daddy said.
“Haaaa! My God! Why na?”
“IF YOU HAD SIMPLY REFUSED TO OPEN THE DOOR WHEN I GAVE THE INSTRUCTION, YOU WOULD HAVE SAVED YOURSELF A LOT OF STRESS.”
“Daddy I’m sorry! Please do something! I’m feeling weak already. I know I need to recharge my spirit man. But there’s no opportunity. From this work to another. I’m getting weaker and weaker. And remember, a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian.”
“Please have this,” he said and handed me some naira notes.
“Go and get me that particular wine I usually use to entertain guests. I thought I still had my supplies in the house, but they’re all gone. You know where it is on our street, right?”
I wanted to say no, but that would be telling a lie. First reason why I don’t want to go is that, the place is far. It might take me more than half an hour to go and come back.
I felt like telling my sisters to start the prayers without me, but I waved off the idea.
“Mummy! Can I come with you?” Ope asked.
I was excited at the suggestion and gave a nod of approval.
“Yippee!” She gave a small Victory dance and we went out of the house.
As we walked, Ope made the stroll lively by doing almost all the talking, while I did the responding.
Soon, I started remembering what mummy Abayomi said about Ope being a walking corpse. I remembered when she said my prayers was getting so intense that I was about to knock on the gate of life on Ope’s behalf, when that call came to distract me.
What was responsible for all these statements? Why was I seeing death around Ope? I took another look at her and met her talking with so much excitement in her. She was more alive to me than ever before. Cheerful and happy, unlike when we first met.
We were still walking beside the road, when we got to a lonely pathway. It was just a few minutes walk before we get to the shop, when a vehicle double-crossed us.
Some masked fellows came down from the vehicle and pointed guns at us.
“Ewoooo! Jesus save us!” I shouted.
“Will you keep quiet? Get into the car now,” the guy pulling the gun at us ordered.
Immediately, we were both blindfolded and our hands tied up from behind as we were forced into the car.
To be continued………..
Juliet is in trouble! Not just her, but Ope!
God revealed the plans of the enemy to her, but she never took it serious.
Only the mercy of God can change what the enemy has planned for her right now.
I want to use this opportunity to admonish you all. Don’t take your dreams lightly. Don’t look down on your dreams. It’s very dangerous.
You guys should start praying for them ooo. Especially Ope.
Find out the identity of these kidnapers in the next episode.
