Episode 54

THE JESUS SLAY QUEENS

Episode 54

I was still sweating heavily. I tried to check what the tike was, but there was no clock on the wall, so I couldn't tell if it was afternoon or evening.

Mummy had been taking us through rounds of prayer sessions. We have been praying and sweating for hours.

"Are you tired?" Mummy asked.

"We are not tired!" Ella and Susan shouted in unison.

Me, I remained quiet. Let them not say I am the bad influence again. God please! Tell her to stop the prayers so we can rest.

"We have not started praying at all!" Mummy announced.

"Haa! Oluwa mi ooooo!" I screamed inwardly.

"So what have we been doing since?"

"We have just been warming up!" Mummy answered as though she could hear my thoughts.

"Are you ready to pray?"

I was the first person to shout yes ma, when I meant the opposite. Indeed the life of a soldier is not a child's play ooo. I have never done something like this in my life. It was seriously telling on me.

And mummy was not being considerate. I am not as strong as the others. I needed my drugs and my rest. I needed my food and my sleep. What was she acting as if the doctor didn't give us any prescriptions?

I opened my eyes and saw her sweating. Ella was on the floor speaking in tongues. Susan was... Susan is prayer personified. Leave her to do her thing.

"But what about me? God please help me! I'm in the barracks but I'm not focusing on the training because I....."

"YOU WANT YOUR FLESH TO BE COMFORTABLE AND THEY ARE NOT HELPING YOU TO KEEP IT IN COMFORT. INSTEAD, THEY ARE STRETCHING YOU!"

"Exactly daddy! You really know what I was about to say! These people don't understand that I'm not used to this kind of lifestyle. They don't understand that they have to be gentle with me. They are treating me as if I'm already a soldier!"

"SO WHAT ARE YOU?"

"I'm a soldier..... I mean, I'm yet to be a soldier. I'm under training to become a soldier."

"AND AS A GOOD SOLDIER WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU MUST KNOW?"

"2 Timothy 2:3. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

That was the scripture that popped up in my head.

"So all I have to do is to endure all this?"

"AS A GOOD SOLDIER! A BAD SOLDIER WOULD COMPLAIN AND CHEAT THE PROCESS. CUT CORNERS AND ESCAPE REHEARSALS. BUT A GOOD SOLDIER MUST BE FAITHFUL. READY TO BEAR THE PAIN. READY TO GO THROUGH THE RIGOROUS TRAINING, UNTIL IT IS COMPLETED."

"Wow! But daddy! It is very difficult! I feel pains all over my body. I don't think I can bear it any longer."

"WILL YOU DIE?"

"No! Of course not!"

"ANYTHING THAT CANNOT KILL YOU IS BEARABLE. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN MUMMY TOLD YOUR DAD THAT SHE FAINTED WHILE FASTING. WOKE UP AND CONTINUED THE FASTING. DO YOU?"

"I do! Hmmmm! I don't think I can do that!"

"AS A MAN THINKETH IN HIS HEART SO IS HE! IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH!"

"No! Daddy don't say a negative word on me! Please!"

"BUT YOU SAID IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO PRAY AND TO DISCIPLINE YOUR BODY!"

"No Daddy! I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!"

"ARE YOU SURE I CAN GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO ENDURE THIS FASTING? ARE YOU SURE YOU WILL NOT FAINT OR FALL DOWN AND DIE BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT EATEN FOR ONE FULL DAY? WHILE THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE MOUNTAIN RIGHT NOW WHO HAVE NOT EATEN ANYTHING FOR SEVEN DAYS. THEY HAVE NOT DIED OOO! THEY ARE STILL ALIVE ABI?"

YOU THAT HAVE NOT EATEN FOR ONE FULL DAY WILL DIE JUST BECAUSE YOU DID NOT EAT. SATAN CAN DECIEVE SHA! AND IT'S SO PAINFUL TO SEE MY CHILDREN BUYING HIS LIES.

PEOPLE ARE ON THE MOUNTAIN RIGHT NOW PRAYING AND FASTING FOR 7 DAYS. YOU ARE HERE IN THIS COMFORTABLE ROOM, SUN HAS NOT BEAT YOUR HEAD ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN BEFORE. WHEN SUN DEALS WITH YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN, YOU WILL JUMP DOWN AND LOOK FOR WATER LIKE A MAD WOMAN.

BUT WATER HAS NOT TOUCHED THEIR MOUTH FOR GOOD SEVEN DAYS. ARE YOU A SOLDIER AT ALL? DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A SOLDIER? THE DISCIPLINE IT TAKES TO MAKE A SOLDIER OUT OF A CIVILIAN!

THERE ARE 3 THINGS THE TURNS A CIVILIAN CHRISTIAN INTO A SOLDIER. NUMBER ONE IS DISCIPLINE. YOU MUST NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU FEEL LIKE DOING SOMETHING BEFORE YOU DO IT. YOU DON'T PRAY BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE PRAYING.

YOU OBEY THE LAST COMMAND WHETHER IT IS CONVENIENT FOR YOU OR NOT. THAT IA THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. YOU DON'T LOOK FOR CONVENIENT TIME TO OBEY WHAT YOUR COMMANDER TOLD YOU. YOU FORCE YOURSELF INTO OBEYING WHAT YOUR COMMANDER COMMANDED YOU.

NUMBER TWO IS ENDURANCE. YOU SEE, ENDURANCE IS ONE OF THE FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST. IT IS ONE OF THE PROOFS THAT GOD HAS SERIOUSLY WORKED ON YOUR LIFE TO TRANSFORM YOU INTO HIS GLORIOUS IMAGE. IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN AND ENDURANCE IS NOT A CHARACTER YOU POSSESS, YOU NEED TO CRY TO GOD YO GIVE IT TO YOU.

I DON'T MEAN ENDURANCE IN HARDSHIP OR ENDURING INSULTS AND CURSES. I MEAN ENDURANCE IN SPIRITUAL EXERCISES. IT IS SOMETHING EVERY CHRISTIAN MUST POSSESS. ENDURANCE TO STAY IN TYE PLACE OF PRAYER FOR ONE HOUR, TWO HOURS, THREE HOURS. YOUR FLESH IS FIGHTING TO JUMP OUT OF GOD'S PRESENCE, BUT YOU KEEP IT THERE.

YOUR BODY IS FIGHTING TO HAVE IT'S WAY. ITS FIGHTING TO ENJOY TYE PLEASURES OF SIN, BUT YOU SAY NO! THAT IS SOMETHING THAT BUILDS A SOLIDER IN YOU. ABILITY TO SEE PAIN AND NOT RUN AWAY. ABILITY TO ENDURE PAIN TILL THE END. ABILITY TO CRY IN PAIN AND YET, NOT GIVE UP BECAUSE OF IT.

YOU'RE CRYING BECAUSE YOU ARE IN PAIN AND YET YOU WON'T STOP BECAUSE OF THE PAINS YOU ARE FEELING. IF YOU CAN DISCIPLINE YOURSELF TO BE THAT KIND OF PERSON. YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE WILL THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOUR ANGELS WILL BE THE MOST HAPPIEST ANGELS ON EARTH.

BECAUSE, YOUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH WILL BE SO RAPID THAT IT WILL SHOCK THOSE AROUND YOU. THE RATE AT WHICH CHRISTIANS RUN AWAY FROM PAIN IS SO ALARMING.

MANY CANNOT FAST FROM 6 TO 6. GOD WILL TELL THEM TO FAST, BUT IMMEDIATELY IT IS 10AM, THEY ARE ALREADY TELLING GOD THEY CANNOT FAST. SOME GOS WILL TELL THEM YO FAST FROM 6 TO 6. BUT THEY WILL GIVE ONE EXCUSE OR THE OTHER AND END THE FASTING AT A CONVENIENT TIME.

THAT PAIN YOU RAN AWAY FROM WAS SUPPOSED TO WIRE SOMETHING INTO YOUR SPIRIT MAN. BUT YOU CUT OFF THE PROCESS.

JULIET! GET YOUR BIBLE!"

"Daddy! We are still praying!"

"EVERYONE IS LOST IN PRAYERS! LOOK AROUND!"

I opened my eyes and saw everyone on the floor speaking in tongues.

"GET YOUR BIBLE, I NEED TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING!"

I quickly crawled towards the little corner where my bible was kept and began to flip the pages.

OPEN TO 2 KINGS 13:14."

I opened to the place and read.

"Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

Verse 15. And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.

Verse 16. And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.

Verse 17. And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.

Verse 18. And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.

Verse 19. And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice."

"DID YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED? THIS MAN WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE CONTINUED THE FASTING TILL 6PM. THIS BOY WAS SUPPOSED TO STAY IN THE PLACE OF PRAYER FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR. BUT HE JUMPED OUT. THE BOY ROUNDED UP THE FASTING AND WENT TO GO AND BUY BREAD.

HE DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD JUST LIMITED HIS VICTORY AGAINST THE ENEMIES. WOULD YOU LOVE TO HAVE TOTAL VICTORY OR INCOMPLETE VICTORY?"

"Complete victory!" I answered.

"READ VERSE 24 AND 25 OF THAT SAME CHAPTER!"

"So Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his stead.

Verse 25 And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel."

"THAT MEANS, THERE ARE LANDS, TERRITORIES AND PLACES THAT BELONG TO ISRAEL WHICH SYRIA TOOK FROM THEM. ONLY A FEW WHERE ABLE TO TO COLLECTED BACK. BECAUSE THIS GUY STOPPED THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISE BEFORE GOD SAID STOP.

SO HE WASN'T ABLE TO ATTAIN COMPLETE VICTORY BECAUSE OF HIS INCOMPLETE OBEDIENCE TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE HOLY GHOST.

THAT'S WHAT INABILITY TO ENDURE SPIRITUAL PROCESS HAS CAUSED TO SO MANY BELIEVERS TODAY ARE NOT ABLE TO ENDURE.

JULIET, OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO JAMES 1:2."

I quickly opened it and read.

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Verse 3. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Verse 4. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

"IMPATIENCE, LACK OF DISCIPLINE AND ENDURANCE IS THE REASON WHY WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL TODAY, HALF BAKED CHRISTIANS. YOU'LL DISCOVER THAT THERE'S A PART IN THE LIFE OF THIS PARTICULAR CHRISTIAN THAT LACKS THE CHARACTER OF A TRUE CHILD OF GOD.

THE ABILITY TO BEAT PAIN, IS SOMETHING THE BODY OF CHRIST IS LOSING TODAY. THAT'S WHY MANY SPIRITUAL LIVES ARE DYING. WE HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO TELL OUR BODY NO. WE HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO RECITE THE ESTHER'S CREED, ' IF I PERISH I PERISH!'

ONLY DEATH CAN STOP ME. AS LONG AS I WILL NOT DUE BECAUSE OF THIS FASTING, I AM GOING TO FAST, WHETHER MY BODY LIKES IT OR NOT. I AM GOING TO PRAY, WHETHER I FEEL LIKE PRAYING OR NOT. I DON'T CARE IF I WILL COLLAPSE.

WHAT MY COMMANDER SAY I SHOULD DO, I WILL DO! I AM NOT GOING YO LET PAIN STOP ME.

THEN FINALLY, NUMBER THREE IS GRACE. YES! WITHOUT GRACE, EVERYTHING IS NOTHING. ITS GRAVE THAT POWERS YOUR WILL AND HELPS YOU ENDURE THE PAIN. BUT MANY ARE TOO BENT ON SATISFYING THEIR FLESH THAT EVEN IF YOU TELL THEM CRAVE WILL HELP THEM THEY WILL SAY THEY WOULD DO IT LATER.

THEY JUST WANT THEIR FLESH TO BE COMFORTABLE.

JULIET WRITE THESE DOWN WHEN YOU HET TO YOUR ROOM. THESE ARE THE 3 INGREDIENTS THAT BUILDS A CIVILIAN CHRISTIAN INTO A SOLDIER.

SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU."

"Yes sir! I'm all ears."

"ARE YOU READY TO OBEY THEM AND APPLY THESE INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUR LIFE?"

To be continued....

The same question goes to you.

Are you going to apply these principles to your life. Or are your just going to fill your jotter with more information?

Endurance! Endurance! Endurance!

We are living in a generation that loves comfort so much. That the reason why so many spiritual lives are dying.

Spirituality requires discomfort in order to stay alive. So the more you want to be comfortable, the more you're destroying your spiritual life.

I'm not saying comfort is bad. But when you always want to be comfortable before carrying out a spiritual instruction or exercise, you are killing your spirit man.

Are you ready to pay the price?

Are you ready to lose your comfort zone?