Gods of the earth - Chapters 31-32

Chapter 31

It had been a terrible battle the day Bulawa took vengeance on his uncle Januka’s minions for his long incarceration. It was the day Januka got to know the full extent of Bulawa’s powers and his terrible anger.

Belial had hidden himself and only watched from afar so as not to terrify the Powers that had been summoned at Januka’s behest by the powerful cult he now belonged to.

Januka had only known of Bulawa’s powers to see into the future seven days; he had never known he had raw destructive spiritual power that could use any of the elements to create mass destruction…it is written that even the winds obeyed Christ…even so Bulawa harnessed the power of the wind even where there was no wind.

While they were marshalling Powers against Bulawa, he was busy decimating the cult physically.

Blasts of gushing, torrenting, mighty winds suddenly blossomed into existence at the twist of his fingers…even the rays of sunlight were not exempted from the scope of his powers as he filtered them through his hands and burnt alive any who stood in his path.

His rage was total, but it was only fuelled by his frustration at being forbidden by his father Belial from hurting his uncle. He wanted so badly to hurt him…for taking away his childhood and his father…for hurting his family…but all he could do was vent his rage on his minions.

He was not afraid when he saw three Powers suddenly materialize before him, towering over him like a three storey building, neither was he afraid of their terrible appearance…he only smiled grimly as he dispatched them with ease…for if he had been allowed by his father to show them his true form, they would have scuttled of with their tails tucked between their legs.

With a final blast from his mouth he released the power of his spirit and killing off several of Januka’s men all at once, and was left with Januka alone, for the cult was broken…all were either dead or had fled, hurt and maimed.

Januka stared at him wildly and breathlessly in anticipation of his own death, but Bulawa merely stared back and then slowly walked away…it was over…never again would his family be hurt by anyone…he would see to that.

His sisters, mother and grandmother had watched the whole thing through the safety of the Spirit Calabash which showed things from afar at their wish…they had watched from their little one room apartment in the city, how Bulawa had destroyed the entire cult…they had seen Bulawa exhibit powers they had never known he had…they had watched him walk away wondering why he did not finish the job and destroy his uncle.

But Bulawa’s sisters would never know the truth…that Bulawa’s late father being a warlock himself, had offered his wife – Bulawa’s mother to their Protector Zanaghah whose true name was Belial…he had offered her in worship for giving him triplet daughters who were destined to lead one of the greatest cults ever…Belial had taken her and she had birthed Bulawa…Bulawa’s father had gone to his grave with the secret…and Bulawa’s mother and grandmother would never reveal it to anyone…that Bulawa was not their son…he was the son of Belial…and Guardian of the Seven Tribes.

The Seven Tribes were buzzing with activity…huge shrines had been erected in the Seven Sacred Locations. Witch Mother and her witch acolytes had been busy day and night preparing the blood sacrifices and the Entrances from the spirit world.

“How many are we really expecting Mother?” asked Karinna of Witch Mother curiously. She was the most vocal of them all, and the closest to Witch Mother, because of her boldness and daring.

“A Host of them my dear, we are the Entrance through which the gods must visit the whole earth…this is the destiny we were chosen for, so many centuries ago, and finally it has come to pass in our own life time as prophesied by my predecessor,” Witch Mother replied as she stood on tiptoe to pour the sacrificial blood over the mighty statues of wood erected by their forefathers.

“Will we see them?” asked little Gamla, reaching to hold the hand of her favourite witch. Saranta lifted her up immediately and planted a kiss firmly on her cheek.

“No dearest one, even I know that. We cannot see the gods and live…only those whom Witch Mother has prepared with many unguents and sacrifices are permitted,” replied Saranta sweetly.

“Well someday I will be permitted, because I will do great things for Witch Mother,” said Gamla firmly.

Even Witch Mother could not resist walking over and taking the little four year old child from Saranta’s arms, stroking her long hair.

“I’m sure you will my love. I can see it in your eyes. You are a strong, determined little girl, but one day you will grow up to be a strong, determined woman and who knows if you might even be Witch Mother someday hmm?” she handed Gamla back to Saranta and she was instantly hijacked by two other witches.

Gamla was the youngest witch and their favourite. They all took turns cuddling and kissing her till Witch Mother was ready for the Incantations and Summonings…the moon had almost reached its zenith…they had been there all day…now they would be there all night, slaughtering the wild animals that the hunters of the Seven Tribes had so graciously provided bountifully…they were not tired, for they had all eaten of the Portion of the gods…a meal prepared by Witch Mother that kept them awake and vigorous for as long as they needed to be. When their work was done she would give them something to make sleep come.

Bulawa’s mother strolled in looking bloodied. The first set had been slaughtered…these were the birds that would lose their powers of flight as an offering to the gods. Bulawa’s mother had been responsible for their slaughter along with several acolytes all from the Seven Tribes.

“It is done sister,” she said as she washed her hands and feet and face at the huge clay basin prepared for that purpose.

“Well done, sister” acknowledged Witch Mother, sparing a moment to come and pat her junior sister on the back, for Bulawa’s mother was indeed her junior sister by birth and blood.

They stared into each other’s eyes for a brief moment, till Witch Mother took her sister away into a dark corner well away from the acolytes who were still playing with Gamla.

“If anything happens to me, you know you will take over right?” asked Witch Mother anxiously, looking deeply into her sister’s eyes.

“Nothing will happen to you sister. I lost my husband and I will not lose my only sister as well,” replied Bulawa’s mother quietly.

“Listen to me, should anything go wrong, you must immediately seal off the Entrance to the Seven Tribes. The outside world must never be allowed to enter here. We are sacred to Zanaghah.”

Bulawa’s mother nodded her head, trying desperately to hold back her tears.

“But what could possibly happen to you dear sister?” she asked, not comprehending her sister’s dark sayings.

“Sometimes things do not go according to plan. Zanaghah once told me about a Majesty that resides in the heavens and how he had defeated them and chased them out of their ancestral home. This battle is but a diversion sister, for while this battle rages I will be gone elsewhere,” said Witch Mother.

“Where?” Bulawa’s mother wanted to know.

“Zanaghah says there are two women imbued with the powers of this Majesty on high. It is my sacred duty to engage them both in battle and destroy them, while Bulawa takes on their leader. While we are thus engaged, Belial and others will destroy their followers and others like them around the area. If there are no followers to lead, then the leaders lose their power or authority to protect that which they no longer have. It is the reverse of what Zanaghah referred to as ‘Smite the Shepherd and the sheep will scatter’; he said it was a favourite strategy they used in the past to destroy the Nazarene who is the son of this Majesty on high. So now we will use the opposite of this strategy,” finished Witch Mother.

“Why have you not told me all this before sister?” asked Bulawa’s mother.

“Because there was no need for you to know yet…I wanted you to enjoy life a little longer dearest sister,” answered Witch Mother, tapping her little sister on the nose playfully.

Both sisters hugged and hugged again, not certain they would ever see each other again after the Battle.

Witch Mother took off a little clay ring on her finger and placed it on her sister’s finger.

“It is a Ring of Might. If ever you are in danger it will release the spirits which are bound to it to come to your defence. They will know when you are in danger and will come…it is their sacred duty to protect the bearer of the Ring of the Might.”

“So why don’t you use it for yourself sister, you need it more than I,”

Witch Mother turned her gaze to the ground…

“Because Zanaghah has shown me that I may not survive this battle. I know it was but a gentle way of telling me that my time here is over. I have been Witch Mother for half a century. It is time for me to play my part and do whatever it takes to make sure that Zanaghah and the other gods win this battle.”

It was a parting that had come unexpectedly upon Bulawa’s mother, for she loved her sister dearly. She still hurt from the pain of the loss of her husband…and now her sister would be taken from her as well.

She held on tightly to her sister, weeping brokenly till Witch Mother told her to pull herself together and go and see about the rest of the arrangements for the Mass Sacrifices.

Chapter 32

They were all gathered together in Pastor Adewusi’s living room…all fifteen of them…that was all that was left of a church of about eighty people. They had all agreed to be meeting henceforth in Pastor Adewusi’s living room except on Sundays as a further measure of protection for them all.

They could have locked up the church and met in his house for even Sunday Services, but Pastor Adewusi had received an express order from the Spirit stating that Sunday Services must continue as usual in the church premises. He had conveyed the message to the Fifteen and they had all agreed that they would trust and follow the Spirit’s leading.

It was midweek meeting and most had already arrived before the usual time…there was an expectation that they all couldn’t quite put their finger on, as they sat down after the intense one hour of prayer.

“What I am about to share with you is something I ought to have done a long time ago perhaps, but nevertheless it is not too late. Six years ago, a Great Battle was fought in the realm of the Spirit with Lucifer himself, involving two of our dear sisters here present – Wunmi and Mary.”

“Together we were able to defeat the Enemy who sought to destroy our church because we were a threat to his Kingdom. Through the leading of the Spirit through several spiritual experiences based on the Word of God, we got the victory when Sister Wunmi launched herself as a weapon in the spirit towards Lucifer himself, and that was how Lucifer was expelled from our world.”

“Yes I know it sounds like a fairy tale story to you, because you were totally unaware of it. I am telling you about it now because once again we face a real threat against the kingdom of Darkness. There is something about a people or persons who have consecrated themselves entirely to God’s Service by making themselves vessels for his use. They have won the battle against the flesh and have therefore equipped themselves for the battle in the spirit.”

“Those who have mortified the deeds of the flesh shall live; that is the promise of Scripture.”

ROM 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

“The reference to ‘living’ is not merely in the world to come but also in this world. We cannot begin to live Eternal life here on earth until we mortify the deeds of the flesh habitually. It is this category of LIVING believers that can wield the power of the Holy Spirit. They are the ones to whom the Spirit entrusts his gifts and power to wage war against the kingdom of Darkness.”

“In that Great Battle six years ago, we were given heavy angelic assistance, but this time it seems the Holy Spirit deems us to have grown enough to depend on Him and his power alone. There may be no angels helping us directly in this battle. Therefore those of us who are gathered here today, should understand that physical death is a real possibility if we are not certain of the extent to which we have dealt with the flesh.”

“It is this very topic that I therefore wish to address this evening. Turn with me in your bibles to…”

2Tim 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 

20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour

21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 

“We have been given the sacred responsibility of purging or purifying ourselves from the earthen and wooden elements that represent the flesh in us. Anything that causes us to dishonour God or the Spirit are referred here as vessels of dishonour. Such vessels are wooden and earthen. They refer to believers who have received the Spirit of God but still yield themselves as vessels of dishonour unto God because they have not dealt with the flesh.”

“Those verses describe the two kinds of believers that exist. The great house refers to the Kingdom of God on earth comprising of his Called Out Ones. Within that house there are those who are vessels of gold and silver, they have mortified the deeds of the flesh and therefore the life they now live is represented by gold and silver, which are precious stones that have been tried and purified by fire. The other set are still within the great house – The Kingdom of God; but they have not dealt with their flesh, they have not allowed the Spirit to purify their lives and therefore they are classified as wooden and earthen vessels…vessels of dishonour.”

“Such believers live mixed lives…they want to live by their souls as well as by their spirits. It is the reason why they are not pure…”

GAL 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

“Being born again is just the first instalment of our Salvation. We can never belong to Christ until we have crucified or mortified the flesh along with its lusts and affections. This is also the lesson we learnt in the previous scripture we read. It is those who have gone this far that are fit for the master’s use. So I ask you once again this day before the Battle commences…if there are any here who have not gone this far, your lives may be in jeopardy. You should not come for Sunday Services though you may come for Midweek Services. The battle will be anytime now, and it will be within the church premises, the Spirit has assured me of that.”

Pastor Adewusi closed his bible and stood up, signifying that the fellowship was over…no one had any questions or contributions…the realm of the Spirit had just been made real to them…

Muyiwa sat beside Kola in stunned silence long after the message was over…their wives came over from fellowshipping with the Pastor and his wife, but they wanted to stay and ask more private questions.

“How do I deal with my flesh, how do I mortify it?” asked Muyiwa, seeing Pastor Adewusi approaching them with a sad smile.

“First of all, you have to understand what the flesh is. It consists of not just the bodily appetites, but also the desires of the body and mind…the mind also has its own desires too.”

EPH 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

“That scripture says before we got born again, we were all in the habit of fulfilling the desires of both the flesh and the mind. We actually lived a kind of life by fulfilling the desires of both the flesh and the mind, because that is the life of the flesh. It is not just a biological life or living that we are dealing with here; we are dealing with the principle of sin that lives it’s life through us by compelling us to fulfil the desires of the flesh and mind. Paul explains this pattern better in another scripture…”

ROM 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

“So it is clear here that even after Paul got born again, he still had problems with his flesh. He was compelled to obey or fulfil the lusts of his flesh and mind. So he went on to Chapter 8 to show us how to defeat the Sin principle within us, also known as the Old Man…it lies in a simple phrase – THROUGH THE SPIRIT. Take a look at that scripture again in…”

ROM 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

“We cannot mortify the deeds of the body on our own, we require the help and strength of the Spirit. Many people rely on sheer will power to mortify the deeds of the flesh and it is the reason why they fail, for the will is under the control of the flesh. This is the reason why you must learn to pray in the Spirit in other tongues as frequently and as long as you can per time. It is the way we build up our spirit. The bible uses the word EDIFY, but the Greek translates it as a fresh infusion of power like the recharging of a battery. In another place, Paul refers to it as the strengthening of the Spirit in our inner man,” said Pastor Adewusi, patting Muyiwa and Kola on the back.

Both couples agreed to go back together to Muyiwa’s place to continue. Mary drove home because she saw her husband was too lost in thought to concentrate…Kola had also asked his wife Wunmi to drive home…there were things he still needed to know…he had wasted so much time coveting the things and powers of this world he had lost sight of Eternal things; forgetting that God alone had the overall picture of the fate of everyone…including the world.