Author: Nomthi Odukoya

Rejoice in your youth

by Nomthi Odukoya

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Rejoice, O young Man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgement. – Ecclesiastes 11:9

These are the words of wise King Solomon admonishing youths to be cautious of every decision and action.

All things have been given to us by God to enjoy, but understanding the law of balance is essential. Lack of balance will lead to abuse. For instance, when your body needs rest, understanding your body signs will let you know when to stop and rest. But if the signs are ignored, a partial or total breakdown of the body system might occur.

Youth are to enjoy their freedom, while mastering their desires and actions. Newton’s third law of motion says “For every action, there is an equal reaction.” You will be judged by what you do, so be responsible and careful in all you do. 1 Corinthians 6:12 says “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

Don’t allow the desire for this world control you; be its master. The truth is that life is not fair; neither do things happen by accident. You only get from life what you negotiate from it.

Watch your company as they can either make or mar you. Proverb 13:20 says “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.” Do not be deceived; bad company corrupts good morals. The people you relate with regularly will influence you.

As a young person, stand for the good that you believe. Don’t allow peer pressure sway you. Be tenacious even if it is for an unpopular decision as long as it is God’s. Guard you relationship with Christ and shun anything that will compromise it. Just like Daniel, purpose in your mind not to defile yourself (Daniel 1:6); God always honours such commitment. Just like He did for Daniel by making him better and wiser than his peers, God is set to make you the standard. Your future is worth more than the fleeting pleasure of self-gratification.

The irresponsibility of David’s son Amnon made him rape his sister Tamar. The resultant effects were Ammon’s death, Absalom’s exile and Tamar’s desolation.

Your words and actions have a re-action, so deal responsibly.

Waiting Tip

by Nomthi Odukoya

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 “With the mouth, confession is made unto salvation”. (Romans 10:10b)

The third tip is SPEAKING

Having internalized the word of God that you have ingested, it’s time to speak it until you have your testimony. Proverbs 18:21 says,‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits’.

Words are both powerful and creative. The whole of creation is a reflection of the creative ability of God’s spoken words. At creation, God said, “Let there be”, and it came to be. As you speak the word of God, it will come to be in your life in Jesus’ name.

There is tremendous power in spoken words to carve out a new reality different from what is presently there. God created everything out of nothing through His spoken words and you are made in His image (Genesis 1:26). You therefore have the same ability. You must declare what God says about your situation, nothing else, because you will have whatever you say.

Words are so powerful, the Psalmist prayed “set a guard, O Lord over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm141:3).

I remember the story of a boy named Afolabi who was nicknamed “Folly’ by his parents and peers. After awhile, the boy started acting imprudently and silly. His mum started praying for him.

One night, God asked her, “What is your son’s name?”

“Afolabi”, she replied

God then asked, “What do you call him?”

She answered, “Folly”

Check for the meaning of “Folly”, God said.

She quickly grabbed her dictionary and realized she had been calling her son ‘lack of good sense, understanding or foresight, foolish’. She immediately stopped calling him “Folly” and ensured that all of his friends did the same. Before long, the boy was back to his smart and jovial self. There is power in your mouth.

In Luke 1:20, the Angel made Zacharias dumb to prevent him from speaking contrarily to the promise of God. ‘But behold, you will be mute and not be able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.’ It is better to say nothing than to speak something that conflictsthe word of God, however, silence in itself can give the enemy the opportunity to speak on your behalf.

Why not open your mouth and declare the word of God concerning you. Ecclesiastes 8:4 says that where the word of a king is, there is power -‘You are the king of this earth, declare the word’.

Every promise from God is like a signed cheque that cannot bounce. Your responsibility is to cash it by aligning yourself to the word of God. The attitude to receiving the promise should be like Mary in Luke 1:38 -‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.’ Though you may not understand ‘how it will be’, just say what He has said about you.

You might say,‘I have been confessing but there is no miracle’, Habakkuk 2:3 says, ‘the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry’. The word of God is settled in heaven and our faith filled confession will bring it into manifestation on earth.

Hebrews 10:23 says,,‘Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful’.God will bring His words in your mouth to pass. Keep speaking.

You are next in line for a testimony…

Honey, we are on the same Team

by Nomthi Odukoya

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Segun’s sudden habit of staying out late and withdrawing from our  family was  concerning. I became angry and confrontational and he beat me. I tried to get him  to stop this behaviour with tears but he was unmoved. Then I decided to forgive  and love him without waiting for his apology and I went on my knees to pray for      him.

 Jehovah rekindled our love; Segun came home one night full of apologies and  promises of being a better husband. And he has kept every promise.

Ever wonder what the rationale behind your spouse’s words or behaviour is?If you can’t understand it, attack sometimes seems like the best option. The truth is that the human mind will willingly think the worst about what it cannot explain or understand. Romans 12:2 says ‘do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds’. This indicates that we have the power to control what we allow our minds to meditate on – the hurt or the love!!

No matter what your spouse has done, don’t dwell on the negative thoughts because they will hold you back from forgiving. Instead, the Bible says to ‘meditate on the things which are true, noble, just, pure, lovely and of good report’ (Philippians 4:8). Are the thoughts you have concerning your spouse affectionate and loving?If not, you need to change your thinking so that resentment will not set in.

Regardless of what he might have done, your responsibility is to forgive and not dwell on the hurts. I am not saying live in denial, but it is vital that you do not to allow hurt take root in your heart.Forgive, meditate on love and pray for your spouse – it will set you free. Martin Luther King Jr.said, “I have decided to stick with love, hate is too great a burden to bear”.

Remember, your spouse will never deliberately hurt you. We must therefore not be ignorant of the enemy of marriage -Satan. His mission as we know is ‘to kill, steal and destroy but [Christ] has come to give us life more abundantly’ (John 10:10). The enemy is not your spouse, it is the devil, which is why the Bible says our ‘weapons of warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Resentment, bitterness and malice are contrary to the understanding of Christ. We cast them down in your life in the name of Jesus!

By knowing our enemy, we will not fight against flesh and blood but powers, principalities, rulers of darkness and wickedness in the heavenly places. The strength of any marriage is not just in the good times but also in the obstacles surmounted together. The Bible says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour, for if they fall; one will lift up his companion” (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

You and your spouse are on the same team, so team up to fight the enemy,not each other.

Toyin Bode-Abass’ Testimony

by Nomthi Odukoya

My husband and I are medical doctors; my husband also has a post graduate degree in Assisted Reproductive Technology. Our case was peculiar, we didn’t just believe God for children, there were medical issues every step of the way.
We were challenged in the area we were most knowledgeable- which could have had two outcomes. It could have made it difficult to trust God for a miracle because we scientifically knew that the outcome wouldn’t have been favourable or we could take on the information at our disposal and pray.  We chose to do the latter. We got married in June 2004; I didn’t think getting pregnant was going to be a roller-coaster ride. We were nomadic in the early years of our marriage so I didn’t worry much that the kids weren’t coming, but sometimes it bothered me that without ever being on contraceptives I never got pregnant.

In March 2004, it was discovered I had huge fibroids the size of a five-month pregnancy. That was the beginning of a long arduous journey for us. The fibroids were embedded in the muscle of my uterus (womb) so surgery was a nightmare for any doctor. After cutting my uterus in 9 different places they took the decision to leave remaining seedlings of fibroids. This was to prevent uterine rupture in future when I get pregnant.
I was placed on fertility pills and given injections, but rather than get pregnant I got fat! I decided to stop the drugs and all hospital visits by end of 2009. Up to this point we never sought a 2nd opinion. In March of 2010 the gynecologist we had been using invited us to his office to discuss the option of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF). As we sat across the table from him, the Holy Spirit whispered to me never to return after we left!
And so we began our search for a new gynecologist and God ordered our steps to one of the finest in the field. When he learnt of my previous surgeries, he decided to leave the fibroids in place and attempt an IVF first; if that failed we’d have to take out the fibroids before repeating the IVF.
I commenced my first IVF cycle in March 2010. By the time I was due for egg collection in May, I had developed a life threatening complication as a result of hyper stimulation. This caused my blood vessels to leak fluid and blood into my stomach & my abdominal girth rose from 32cm to 104cm in less than 12 hours. I was admitted for observation, as there was no treatment other than to replace the fluids & electrolytes I was losing. My gynecologist went ahead and transferred the fertilized embryos. By the third day I was in respiratory distress and couldn’t breathe and he had to drain the collection under ultrasound guidance. 3 litres of blood and fluid was drained. This re-collected within 2 hours. Eventually I was discharged with my distended abdomen and spent six weeks away from work.

I remember the anointing service in May 2010; it was our month of laughter. The scripture for that month was Psalm 2:4: ‘He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision’. Pastor called me out and whispered into my ears 3 times ‘it is not as difficult as you think, so laugh’. That scripture and prophecy saw me through the darkest days of my life. We resumed our hospital visits in August. My gynecologist told us we needed to take out the fibroids as earlier advised. My husband refused vehemently saying I had been through enough. He said he’d only consider a non-invasive surgery. The problem with that was we had attempted it in 2009 and a gynecologist was flown in from the UK for the procedure. After the conventional approach failed he tried something else, he then aborted the procedure warning that any attempt to remove fibroids using that method would be catastrophic. This was because he discovered my Fallopian tube and left ovary were sitting on top my uterus as a result of adhesions from previous surgeries.
I was able to convince my husband to consent to surgery. I knew God would see us through.

We picked a date in September, after which I went on a five-week retreat. I sought the face of God in prayers. A few days to my return home anxiety set in. We went to see Pastor when I got home and he prayed with us. My doctor told me he was going to use a spinal block and epidural rather than putting me to sleep. I was so relieve, but that was short lived. I got into theatre and the battle started. They needed to ‘deliver’ my uterus and ligate (tie) the bottom to minimize bleeding during surgery. An hour into the surgery they hadn’t succeeded in doing that. Then a call came through from the laboratory scientist who had been on standby at the blood bank. He wanted to know if I needed blood. The doctor told him it wasn’t a question of needing blood but how many pints. My PCV (blood level) had dropped from the usual 42% to 33% even before surgery started. I lay there knowing it was only the blood of Jesus that would save me; I began to plead the blood of Jesus and speak in tongues. All of a sudden, peace flooded my soul. The doctors had an ordeal communicating because I was awake; I soon realized that could pose a problem so I requested to be put to sleep. That turned out to be the wisest decision I could have made as I was on the operating table for over 7 hours. By the end of the surgery, my PCV had dropped further to 15%. I had prayed and told God no transfusions. That in itself was a miracle. With a PCV that low heart failure was imminent but I never showed signs of decomposition. Doctors kept repeating my PCV check because they said the results didn’t tally with my clinical state. They sent me home 4 days after!

My doctor decided we should repeat IVF in December, but my husband asked that we delay till January so my body could recover. My promise for 2011 was 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 – ‘If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place’. I didn’t understand or like it but I confessed it daily. (Pastor later told me it was a call to prayer when we visited him with our baby).

So January 2011 came with injections and hospital visits. Because I had over stimulated the first time, my doctor reduced the dosage of injections, which meant I had to take them for longer and go for frequent ultrasound scans to detect any fluid collection on time. The process was hitch-free. The two-week wait before getting a pregnancy test were the longest two weeks of my life. We went in for our test in March and I was confirmed pregnant – with twins. My husband reached for my hand and gave a gentle squeeze. I gave God praise silently in tongues; the doctor had to comment that he was expecting I’d somersault out of my chair! We went for antenatal visits more frequently than normal pregnancies. These visits weren’t without problems. Scans showed that one of the babies was growing into my Fallopian tube and there was a risk of an ectopic pregnancy. Which meant both babies and I were at risk. My husband and I just prayed this one prayer – “Lord, only thy will be done. We want the best outcome”. The second baby stopped growing and vanished. At 24, 28 and 32 weeks my remaining baby was almost delivered prematurely because of blood pressure scares.

God saw me through eight years of childlessness and seven surgeries and on Thursday, November 10 2011, Oluwalani EriifeOluwa Othniel arrived. He is joy to behold!

I had him through Caesarian Section. The devil was mad because he lost this battle! My blood pressure starting rising dangerously high. I started bleeding from the operation site and my doctor was going to take me back to theatre- but God showed up. After over an hour of applying pressure the bleeding stopped. They decided to leave me in the recovery room a little longer to be sure I was stable. The nurses came to wheel me to my room at night, as I got out of bed to sit in the wheel chair blood was gushing out from beneath. The on-call doctor came and said we had to go back to theatre. I told him to do everything to stop the bleeding but I wasn’t going under general anaesthesia. My uterus was flabby as it wasn’t contracting, they had to apply pressure on my sore tummy while the doctor scooped out clots of blood that had collected in my uterus. My husband and I kept praying, the bleeding stopped. We went home hoping to enjoy our joy, the devil tripped again! My wound gaped, the whole length of it! The edges just didn’t come together. I was taken back to theatre and the wound was re-closed. My baby was two weeks old at the time. Stitches were removed a week after, then I noticed the wound broke open again a few days later in spite of a rigorous approach the last repair. I wasn’t going to theatre again. We dressed it daily. My son turned 3 months before my operation site healed completely. Pastor kept praying and sending word to me.

Today I am a joyful mother, all the years of pain forgotten as I hold my son. Through it all, God constantly reminded us of His love and promises. I knew deep down in my heart I would be a mother, it was only a question of when. My God cut a covenant of fruitfulness with me and I knew He wasn’t about to fail. For every woman holding on to God and His word for this kind of miracle, He will surprise you sooner than later! God sent us amazing people along the way. We knew a few people who were praying along, but we also sensed deep down that many more that we didn’t know were praying. I want to thank God for His loving kindness. I want to appreciate Pastor Taiwo for his love, support and prayers. He stood by us every step of the way! Always following up on us; calling before, during and after surgeries and constantly praying along with us. He is indeed a father. Right from the first time I walked through the doors of Fountain 17 years ago through medical school and our sojourn in Abuja & the UK he was always there for us. We love and appreciate you sir! We bless God for indeed it was not as difficult as we thought! Praise Jesus!!!

Pastor Soriyan’s Testimony

by Nomthi Odukoya

I had been waiting for a baby for the eight years since we got married. I got pregnant in the seventh year but I went into premature labour in the fifth month of my pregnancy so the baby slept in the Lord.

This created a deeper longing in me to see my baby. The Lord assured me through Jeremiah 31:15-17 that my children would return to their border and that’s what I kept confessing.

During one of the church’s anointing services, I looked to the Lord to confirm if I was pregnant because my period was due but hadn’t come. Then Pastor Taiwo gave an express word saying “someone that has been married for eight years is now pregnant”.

Immediately, there was a confirmation within me. I knew that the Lord was responding to me. I rejoiced and told my husband that I was pregnant. He urged me to go for a test but I kept telling him I was because God has confirmed it Himself.

Eventually, I started feeling nauseous and went to the hospital to get some medication but I was told to do a pregnancy test. I was sure it would be positive but alas, the lab result came out negative. I rejected this within me. The doctor told me I had probably had a “phantom pregnancy” maybe I was psychologically convinced but not physically pregnant.

She also urged me to take other tests to rule out possible illnesses. They were negative. She then advised me on other fertility options, stressing that because of my age I shouldn’t be wasting time. However, I kept insisting I felt pregnant and my husband strongly shared the belief. The doctor told us to go for a scan sometime later.

At the scan, I put all my hope in the Lord and I was so glad when the radiologist said to me  “see your baby”. Our God is awesome! I was advised to be on bed rest due to my previous history. Fortunately I had already decided to take it easy. I had to be on bed rest to be able to carry the pregnancy through but if we had believed the initial doctors report that I was not pregnant, I would have returned to my normal hectic routine we would have lost our baby. The position of the first doctor was actually a strategic attack of the devil.

I had also been diagnosed of having fibroids and my previous gynaecologist had suggested having surgery to remove them but I didn’t feel convinced in my spirit to do it. Besides, I never for once believed that fibroids could stop my pregnancy. So I didn’t go down the route of having surgery. God proved Himself as the Way-maker: I kept making confessions (the married women’s compilation and some audio CDs) on safe pregnancy throughout, every single day.

The Lord saw us through the pregnancy, I had no complications whatsoever, none! Not even the pains I had during the last pregnancy. The Lord was with us and worked through the competent care provided by the medical team.

I had my baby delivered through a caesarean section and I was told that the position of the fibroid was such that I couldn’t be closed up where I was cut. In such cases, medically a patient is would not normally operated upon for fibroid removal during a caesarean section but God gave me one of the best hands in the country. A highly recommended doctor confirmed by Pastor, otherwise I would have bled to death..God Forbid!

The delivery team started with prayers and I was surprised to hear Head Surgeon himself lead the team in praise and worship while they operated on me. Halleluiah!

The best part of this testimony is that my husband had been diagnosed as having low sperm count (but of course, he never allowed this diagnosis to stop him believing what God would do for us). He would say if God can allow madmen on the streets to have children, he was sure that as a child of God his case was settled.

Our precious baby Olakunle David Oluwajomiloju Soriyan was conceived on the night my husband celebrated his 40th birthday! Our God is awesome!

(A small misunderstanding almost forestalled this, but God gave me grace to persist, as we had been encouraged to have a honeymoon by a dear friend at the celebration)

I encourage those waiting to see their babies to expect God to speak to them, they should hold that word faithfully, position themselves mentally and physically in preparation for their babies.

(I kept the married women’s compilation confession everyday before I got pregnant; I also took folic acid tablets everyday in anticipation of my pregnancy because I believed my baby would come).

They should never joke with the vessels God is using work through, for if we believe His prophets, we will prosper. In my case, Pastor Taiwo is God’s prophet to me and always speaks through the office of my pastors. God can speak at any service, once we are expecting to hear from Him and He will perfect every good work that He starts in our lives.

Indecent Proposal

by Nomthi Odukoya

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After an awkward breakup with Soji, my ex-boyfriend of four years, I met a married man with three kids. We worked together – what a cliche! I’d always seen him at work but we didn’t really start talking until I’d split up with my boyfriend and started going out more with people from work. He was completely upfront about his marriage because we were just friends in a large group of work colleagues, but he professed his love and his willingness to leave his wife for me.

I was so upset from the break up that I wasn’t thinking straight. My married colleague gave me many gifts and money, and also paid me a lot of attention when I was feeling particularly low and at first I found it easy to pretend that his wife didn’t exist and besides, the secrecy really made it more exciting.

His wife was away working about 2 weeks of each month so I thought nothing of going to his house. I spent most of my time waiting for him to call and ask me to go over, as we could never make plans because obviously she would come first. I even found myself cancelling plans with friends just in case he’d call.

He only ever came to my house once, after inviting me over and I refused. An hour later he was at my doorstep but first thing the next morning, he couldn’t have left any quicker.
One day, I went to his house while his wife was away, we watched a movie, had dinner, went to bed. We woke up to the sound of the front door closing because she’d come back early to surprise him. I was absolutely terrified and grabbed my clothes but he wouldn’t let me out of the room and made me hide behind the door just before she walked in. He managed to convince her that they should go out for breakfast and I left after they did.

On the way home, he called me apologizing profusely and I finally summoned up the courage to ask him never to contact me again, and he never has. I wasted two years of my life to nothing. Some mutual friends later told me that I was only one in a long line of women he’d cheated on his wife with.

Daniel 11:32 says ‘those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits.’ With every decision to compromise the word of God, we shortchange our destiny and blessings – the prodigal son lost access to his inheritance because of fleeting pleasure – every step outside the covering of the covenant leads to problems.

Affairs are (initially) exciting. As the married man can only make time for her sporadically (depending on when he can steal away from his family), the other woman doesn’t take him for granted.  There is passion and lust. Proverbs 9:17 says ‘stolen water is sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant’. In many cases what is so attractive about the man is his unavailability. The sense of conquest makes their illicit union sweeter and, if he was single, he might be less attractive.

For various reasons; be it growing up in a broken home or previous bad relationships, women who continually date married men are often scared of the idea of marriage. They do not really want a committed relationship so they sabotage their chances of finding one by going after men that belong to another. Oh she might outwardly bemoan the fact that he hasn’t left his wife yet but at the end of the day this woman enjoys being this man’s escape from reality. When he is with her, he’s charming, attentive and romantic; she doesn’t have to deal with the reality of him on a daily basis; she doesn’t have to cook for him, clean up after him or tiptoe around him when he’s had a bad day at work.

Even if the other woman believes he will someday divorce his wife, the honest truth is that this is unlikely to happen, because she is just a temporal distraction. More importantly is the wickedness being done against the covenant of marriage and the scriptures cannot be broken; those who do not know their God will be abased.

Galatians 6:7 says “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap”. Proverbs 22:8 puts it like this: ‘he who sows iniquity will reap sorrow,’ Why plant a bad seed? It will germinate and you will definitely reap a harvest. You may say, “ooh, life is not being fair”, but the reality is that you get from life what you determine to put in. Determine to do the right thing, knowing it’s a seed you are sowing and that your harvest is sure.

God will bring YOUR OWN man – don’t live with an indecent proposal!

Are there still Eligible Men/Women

by Nomthi Odukoya

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‘…Our father is old and there is no man on the earth to come in to us, as is the custom of all the earth.’ Genesis 19:31′ (NKJV)

There is an ideology that the pool of eligible bachelors shrinks with age. This line of thinking stresses that there is a shortage of single men in relation to single women, thereby putting ladies under undue pressure.

This supposed scarcity of eligible men/women after a certain age is a hoax. God always has a plan and a remnant. If you are above 30 years of age and single, you may begin to wonder if there is something wrong with you or if God has forgotten you. Sometimes, friends and family may question your single status.  The good news is, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you, and God has not forgotten you. According to Isaiah 49:16 God says, ‘I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.’ In other words, God constantly remembers and cares for his children. Be assured that God has not forgotten you and He has a plan for you.

This erroneous belief is not new – in fact the Bible shows us that this fear has pervaded the hearts of women from time immemorial.

In Genesis 19, the daughters of Lot committed incest with their father because they believed that there were no eligible bachelors to marry them after they left Sodom. They forgot to look to the Almighty God that brought them out of Sodom and Gomorrah for marital supply. God is concerned about every area of our lives including who and when we marry. In Genesis 24:12-15, Abraham’s servant prayed for a wife for Isaac and God brought Rebekah; He can do the same for you!

The daughters of Lot were fearful they would not find a spouse, which caused them (in their desperation) to act sinfully. We see this often nowadays, wherein women date married men and sometimes even marry them, thereby going against the Scriptures of putting asunder what God has joined together. Isaiah 34 says that ‘not one will lack her mate’, this means that God has plans to give you your own husband/wife – not another person’s.

Another modern issue sprung from this fear of spinsterhood, which I feel is worthy of mention, is the increasing trend of single parenting by choice. Ladies are increasingly settling for having a child out of wedlock to either avoid the commitment of marriage, concerned about their biological clocks, or the notion that men are scarce. Some men will also rather have “baby mamas” than finding their missing rib thus fulfilling scriptures.

It’s time to drop these delusions and look to Jehovah for an eligible partner. While you wait, look to Him to help you as a person, so that when God brings your mate, you are a worthy partner to him/her.

WAITING TIPS

by Nomthi Odukoya

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Jesus said to him ‘ if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! “. (Mark 9:23-24)

The next tip is BELIEVE

Having read/listened to the different testimonies, it’s time to believe God for yours.

Rom 10:10 says “For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness,”. The heart is the soil on which the word of God takes root and will produce a harvest. The condition of the heart is therefore a critical ingredient for a result oriented waiting period that is why Prov 4:23 says “keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life.” The devil (the father of lies) is in a constant battle for our belief/heart, it’s up to us to consciously choose to believe God’s word (the truth) over and above anything else.

The heart condition must be one that believes in the supremacy and ability of God irrespective of the prevailing condition. Even if the doctors and families have written your case off, we serve a God that specializes in impossible situations. There is nothing impossible with God; the prerequisite is a believing heart.

There is need to change our thinking to align with the word of God. This might be against common sense; the truth is that what is required is God-sense: this involves building confidence in the reality of supernatural things not seen. The impossible starts invisibly in the heart before the physical manifestation takes place. Abraham in Genesis did not consider the oldness of his body nor of Sarah’s, he believed God, and Isaac (the son of promise) eventually came.

You can begin to name your children or shop for them in faith. Faith is the hand that brings from the spiritual to the physical. Though it may look like God has forgotten you or not interested in your case, just keep on believing and don’t give room for doubt, he will come through for you just like he did for Hannah and Sarah who believed Him against all odds.

Like the opening text, we might sometimes have to ask God to help our unbelief when we feel weak because our faith antenna must be on a frequency that is ready to receive.

You are next in line for a testimony….

INDECENT PROPOSAL I

by Nomthi Odukoya

My boss’ sudden interest in my welfare became rather uncomfortable. I sought counsel from my friend who encouraged me that I should reciprocate. He gave me a lecture. He summarized by saying “she probably just likes you, but on the other hand, if it’s some kind of overture, then go for it.. plenty of fun and funding.

With time, I became interested and started giving her attention. She responded as expected and before long we were constantly meeting at different hotels. I ensured she didn’t lack attention, love and warmth, and she ensured my pocket was always lined and my promotion came regularly.

One day, her husband suddenly came up with a holiday plan just for the two of them. She was reluctant to go, saying she will miss my company. Eventually she did but came back a changed person. She announced the end of our affair; she topped the announcement with a letter of transfer to another department saying “she has told her husband the truth about us. He has forgiven her and now, they are both willing to work on their marriage”.

Prov 14:1 says “the wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands”. You might say “my husband is irresponsible”, yes, he might be but you take the cue for being responsible. Wise woman, take a stand and build up your home, irrespective of your husband’s behavior.

Any act of infidelity opens up the home to the devil’s attack. More importantly is that the Lord only commands his blessings in the place of unity. Heb 13:4 says “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

The truth of the matter is you can prayerful and instructively take back all that’s yours from the devil (the enemy). You have what it takes to take charge of the atmosphere in your home.

Remember, your husband is not the enemy.

Build your home with love, care and prayers, Wise Woman…..

PRAY DURING PREGNANCY

by Nomthi Odukoya

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Ever heard the saying “Don’t leave your future to chance”? I believe that this saying cannot be truer than when pregnant. According to Sociologists, every child is born a clean slate upon which words and experience write.

During pregnancy, this clean slate can be written upon with our words of prayers. It has been medically proven that from the age of 16 weeks, babies in the womb begin to respond to voices, words, moods, thoughts etc of the mother. This gives the mother the rare opportunity of being the sole influence on the baby. This is how and when we begin to write on this clean slate.

Prayer, as we know it, is communicating with God and, at the same time, instructing creation to align to meet our needs. You will declare a thing, and it will be established for you (Job 22:28). So we cannot overemphasize the power of an expectant mother’s prayer.

From the time of Moses till this very day, some of our most influential heroes became history makers because of their mothers’ prayers.

The late Pastor Bimbo Odukoya, in a number of her sermons, spoke of how she prayed her first child Toluwani into the singing ministry while she was pregnant. Today, if you hear Tolu’s voice, you will immediately understand the importance of the prayers of an expectant mother, no matter how trivial or insignificant they may seem.

Abraham Lincoln, unarguably one of America’s most influential presidents, said: “I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me, they have clinged to me all my life.” He attributed all his great feats to his mother’s prayers.

Another name worthy of mention is George Washington whom his mother prayed for, just few hours before his delivery. Upon achieving many successes in life, he attributed all his successes to the prayers of his mother and honoured her with the words: “All that I am, I owe to my mother.”

So, you do not have to leave your future to chance like most mothers do inadvertently. Pray constantly (that is without ceasing) for your unborn child.

Prayers aid divine perception and so many gain prophetic insight into the future during prayers. God can reveal certain aspects of the child’s future to the mother. Examples in the Bible include the mothers of Moses, John the Baptist, Samson, Jesus, to mention a few.

Also, you can sometimes influence your unborn child with certain God-like attributes (probably the ones you lack but which you wish you had). For example gentleness, self-control, kindness etc.

Rise up, Expectant Mother! God is depending on you.