Chapter
39
Pastor
Adewusi entered the hospital ward to find Wunmi propped up in bed, wrapped up
in bandages and her leg suspended.
“She
has a broken leg and has suffered concussion. She is still in a state of shock, so
she can’t yet talk,” said Mary.
“I
understand. They almost didn’t let me in, till I told them I was her pastor and
had come to pray for her,” replied Pastor Adewusi as he sat on a vacant bed
beside Wunmi.
Wunmi
stared ahead of her; her eyes were opened wide as though she was relieving some
horrible event.
“It
has started. They are trying to demoralize us by their guerrilla tactics. They
do not want an open confrontation so they strike and run away,” said Pastor
Adewusi, turning to Mary.
“Yes
sir, quite unlike the Great Battle six years ago, which was an open
confrontation,” replied Mary.
“But
what is worse is that they are not attacking us spiritually as before; they are
attacking our physical bodies…they aim to kill off as many as they can
physically. I have to get back home and begin to pray Mary…this is worse than I
thought and so far we have not received any angelic help,” said Pastor Adewusi.
“About
that pastor, the Spirit expressly told Wunmi not to expect any,” Mary said,
also rising to her feet to escort Pastor Adewusi to the door.
“Oh,”
said the pastor, a little disappointed.
“Well,
the Spirit must have his reasons,” concluded Pastor Adewusi as he took his
leave.
As
he drove out of the hospital gates, he passed Muyiwa’s car just driving in and
stopped to have a word with both of them.
“She
will be fine,” assured Pastor Adewusi, rolling down the glass on the passenger
side to talk to them.
“Sir,
has she regained consciousness yet?” asked a very anxious Kola.
“Not
yet, but she will…don’t be anxious or worried,” the pastor reassured Kola again
as he drove off.
Wunmi was in a very lovely garden…some
Man whose face she couldn’t see held her hand…the flowers seemed to smile when
she passed them by…then she realized that they were bending towards her as
though they wanted to touch her. Their petals widened as she passed them…that
was how she knew they were smiling…even the way they suddenly started rustling
after she passed them by…they were whispering among themselves about her.
“The fear of death is the last enemy
that must be conquered,” said the Man beside her.
“Forasmuch then as the children are
partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;
that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is,
the devil;
And deliver them who through fear of
death were all their lifetime subject to bondage – Hebrews 2: 14-15” quoted
Wunmi glibly…she had never memorized that scripture but it came to her now
unbidden.
She suddenly stopped…
“You came to deliver me from my fear of
death didn’t you…you knew I was afraid of physical pain and death and so you
let me pass through that experience.” Wunmi sank to her knees, holding on
tightly to the hem of the garment of the Man beside her.
“My Lord and my God!” she exclaimed,
beginning to weep profusely.
“My ways are not your ways, neither are
my thoughts your thoughts,” said the Man, lifting her to her feet…Wunmi still
held on tightly to him, her eyes downcast.
“My Lord what will you have me do now?”
asked Wunmi.
“Oh you’ve already started daughter…I
needed you to overcome your fear of death physically…for the things that lie
ahead of you and the others will require the life of one who no longer lives
for Self…for it is Self - the Old Man, that is afraid to die…to lose
permanently the enjoyment of its insatiable lusts is something it cannot even
begin to consider…but when one such as you gives it up willingly, by giving up your body…then he who
has the power of death no longer has power over you.”
“Does this mean I’m going to die Lord?”
asked Wunmi, slowing down a little bit.
“I cannot tell you that, for then you
would no longer be walking by faith but by sight,” answered the Man she had called
Lord.
“But it is time for you to return…you
must trust me as you always have, for trying times are still ahead of you…I
have healed your body…because I need you now more than ever. Go with my
blessing child…go, oh Enemy of Darkness!”
Wunmi
suddenly sat up in bed, breathing heavily. She stared around her wildly for a
moment then got her bearings. Kola was beside her in an instant.
She
saw her leg dangling in a cast…suspended above her and weakly signalled to Kola
to remove it.
“I
can’t my dear, you broke your leg!” said Kola, moving closer to her as she
struggled to sit up.
“Wunmi
please relax and take it easy, you’ve been hurt pretty badly!” said Mary,
coming to sit beside her cousin.
“I’m
healed now,” said Wunmi.
“Amen
and Amen,” said Muyiwa coming to stand by Kola as he tried to stop his wife
from removing the bandage around her head.
“You
had some bad knocks to your head Wunmi, please just lie back,” he said.
“Listen
guys…while I was unconscious I saw Jesus…I was with him! He told me he had
healed my body, so will you please help me out of these ridiculous things?” Wunmi
indicated the cast and the bandages around her head.
“You
were with the Lord?” asked Mary incredulously.
“What
did he say?” asked Kola.
“Oh
my God, you actually saw the Lord!” exclaimed Muyiwa, breathing faster.
The
nurse came in at that moment and started sending them out.
“Please
you have to go now, you’ve already disturbed her with the noise,” she said
angrily.
“No
it’s okay,” said Wunmi.
“I
said please leave! I’m going to call the doctor,” the nurse stormed out
angrily.
By
the time she came back, Wunmi was already on her feet and packing her things
with Mary’s help. Kola and Muyiwa stood by dumbfounded…the doctor placed both
his hands on his head and let out a small shout…the nurse ran out yelling for
people to ‘come and see something!’
“Jesus
told me that trying times are still ahead of us…he said some personal things to
me which I am not allowed to reveal…but the bottom line is that we all need to
prepare…this battle might be worse than the Great Battle,” said Wunmi as Muyiwa
drove off.
“The
Ogbunikes are dead Wunmi…they were beaten to death,” Mary broke the news as
gently as she could.
“Oh
my God!” said Wunmi, burying her head in her hands and beginning to mourn…they
were members of her home fellowship…strong members...the Lord hadn’t mentioned their death to her at all…they had died for their faith even though they had not been
tortured…but they had been killed because they were Christians…genuine
believers…they were martyrs…their crowns of righteousness was already
guaranteed…now she had to work out her own salvation with fear and trembling and
make sure she was found worthy to wear the crown…
Chapter
40
Pastor
Adewusi realized his mistake too late! He should have known that those feathers
he had found in the church building were not put there for fun…he had simply
locked them up in his office, intending to show the Fifteen later…of course he
knew they were charms, but he believed that no charms could affect him as a
child of God…but these weren’t ordinary ‘spiritual’ charms obviously…they
carried the germs of a deadly disease.
He
had begun to feel quite uncomfortable in the middle of night after his visit to
Wunmi in the hospital…he had started sweating profusely…then he had gone to the
bathroom to ease himself…that was when he had inadvertently looked at himself
in the mirror and saw the blotches begin appearing on his face…he had smallpox!
He
had sneaked out of the house after calling a medical doctor friend of his, who
immediately sent an ambulance to fetch him… Pastor Adewusi couldn’t afford to
infect his wife as well…he was about to call when his phone began to ring…
“I’m
so sorry darling; I couldn’t risk staying in the house a moment longer. I began
feeling very uncomfortable in the middle of the night and when I checked myself
in the mirror in the bathroom, I discovered all these blotches appearing all
over my face and body…I have small pox and have been quarantined.”
“I’m
getting more weary by the day darling…will we ever win this battle?” asked his
wife, breaking down in tears.
“Even
if we don’t win, we still have to do what is right…we will still gather to
fellowship with ourselves and the Lord…it is the same thing Daniel, Meshach and
Abednego would have done…we will not be intimidated in the face of oppression
or even torture…that is the whole point of being believers, remember the scripture
that says they that will live godly in
Christ shall suffer persecution…you cannot afford to grow weary now,
several others are looking up to you at this time. You should call Mary and
find out how Wunmi is… I love you…I will call later,” Pastor Adewusi cut the
line.
There
were certain things he had to do…the church premises had to be completely
disinfected and his office sealed off. He made a few calls and then turned his
attention towards the Word and a particular scripture that had fixed itself
permanently in his mind for several days…
2 Cor 7: 5-6 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our
flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings,
within were fears.
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that
are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus
“Are
you sending someone Lord?” whispered Pastor Adewusi, not daring to breathe…for
it had been long since he had heard expressly from the Spirit.
They want this battle to be fought in the
physical realm, but remember that you wrestle not against flesh and blood but
against principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness of this world and
wicked spirits in heavenly places. You have been tricked into making this a physical
battle by allowing yourselves to be affected by what is happening physically to
you…it was worn you down…you must therefore return to the battle, knowing that
there is a hierarchy you must confront…conquer the principalities and you will
conquer the wicked spirits in heavenly places.
Pastor
Adewusi’s eyes had been enlightened…he saw it now! The Enemy had brought the
battle into the physical realm…the area of their greatest strength…we cannot
battle them in their area of strength, we have to climb above them…far above
principalities and powers!
His
phone rang…it was Wunmi!
“Pastor,
I just want you to know that I have been healed…it is a long story but Christ
took me into his Presence while I was unconscious…he said there are still
trying times ahead of us.”
“Yes
I believe so. I have been quarantined because of small pox. They came into the
church and murdered the gateman on the altar, then distributed several black
feathers all over the church under the chairs. I noticed one; then went around
and collected over twenty of them. I kept them in my office to show you guys,
thinking they were spiritual charms…I didn’t realize they were merely charms to
inflict small pox. The Spirit spoke to me a few moments ago…we have been
tricked into bringing the battle to their door step…to the area of their
greatest strength…the flesh…now we have to take it back up above principalities
and powers and every name that is named…we need to pray for the gift of
Discerning of Spirits and find out which principalities are behind this…when we
find out, we will know what we are up against and how to wage war in the
spirit,” said Pastor Adewusi.
“Got
you sir, we will inform the rest of the Fifteen at once,” said Wunmi.
“No.
This is now between the six of us, you and your spouses; and my wife and I,”
replied the pastor.
“Okay
sir, I will inform the others,” said Wunmi.
Michael watched the sun rise gradually...the
battle may soon begin…they however had to wait on the Spirit for his go ahead.
He surveyed his Hosts still hidden under the Shadow of His Wings. They were
alert…grim…and battle ready…Michael guessed what the Spirit was waiting for…a
Son of God had to initiate the battle against Principalities before He, Michael,
could step into it…it had to be Principality against Principality…but a Son of
God had to engage them first in combat…like the scriptures had said…a wrestling
match!
He marvelled at the strength that had
been given to mortals…to wrestle against even Principalities…he did not doubt
the outcome of a battle between himself and one of the true Sons of God…for
hadn’t the Most High made Man a little lower than angels but crowned him with
honour and glory just as his Lord the Christ also had gone through the same
thing for the suffering of death on behalf of Man?
Thus when a true Son of God lost his
fear of death, he also would be crowned with honour and glory just like their
Lord and God…One of them must have been tested and had lost the fear of
death…such a one was fit now to wrestle against Principalities, having been
crowned with the honour and glory of the Lord…oh the unsearchable riches of the
wisdom of Majesty! Michael exalted and praised the Most High with his mighty
sword arm!
It was almost noon when the Spirit
lifted his Wings and they became visible to their foes…with a mighty shout, the
Enemy rallied themselves as they saw the Hosts of Heaven gathered round about
them…
It
was almost noon when Mary got the first breakthrough…they had been praying
non-stop for almost five hours.
“It
is Belial! Belial is their Commander!” Mary said in a loud voice that startled
everyone.
“Yes,
but there are others as well…” said Wunmi.
“I
know who they are,” said Kola…
“Janut
and Baal,” finished Muyiwa.
“Thank
you Lord! We are ready…let the battle begin!” said Wunmi.
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