“And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” (Isaiah 46:4)

Earlier today, I had a discussion with a dear friend about how this scripture verse tells the story of God’s faithfulness in my life.

I got drafted into God’s Army dramatically from secular work, at the prime of life. I had rejected all God’s advances to me for service, because I was afraid of an unknown future.

Even though I had a good full time job, and other income yielding businesses to supplement my income, we were at borderline poverty levels.

Can you imagine how irrational and wicked I thought God was, to demand I do full time ministry work?

I was so upset with God because, if we could barely survive with multiple incomes, how would my family survive without an income?

That was the major reason I resisted the call into full time God’s work.

Back then, Christian ministry was considered an option for school dropouts,  failures, lazy people, etc.

And I was none of those. 

I was hardworking,  ambitious and success driven.  I wanted to be a medical doctor, journalist and criminologist. I was passionate about becoming all of these. 

So, why would I just dump life and become a pastor? 

From where I was, a call into ministry was similar to a life sentence into abject poverty with hard labor.

Anyways, I did try my best to run away from the ‘Call’, but God caught me in His stride effortlessly.

No wonder the Psalmist declared,
“O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me…Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” (Psalm 139:1-14)

Resisting God’s will is costly:

Before I caught on to how Omniscient God is, my life went downhill. Because, I continued to pursue my economic interests at the detriment of my calling.

Then one fateful day, God checkmated all my moves. That was when I ran to do His bidding.  I was too scared to even consider  disobedience as an option.

The only way I can explain how I felt that day is through the words of Job when he said,

“I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6)

Reverential fear of God indicates wisdom:

Dear reader, the driving force of my life was to the well  being of my children. I was economically driven because  I wanted them to have the advantages I never had. My whole life revolved round my children.

However, God had to make me see that I was idolizing my children and economic pursuit above Him.

One fateful day, when He faced me with the scary truth that whatever is exalted against Him will be taken out, my mind had to reset at once.

I did not need to seek confirmation. I knew that the drama had ended and reality had begun.

 That was the day and hour that I yielded to do full time God’s Work.

Fast forward to almost three decades later:

God took over our lives, and then intensive training for the Work also started.

The worst things that happened to me were the result of my stubbornness.  

The bests things started happening in my yieldedness.

God’s grace and favor worked for my children throughout their school years, and in the other aspects of their lives. 

He spoke to me through Isaiah 54, that He would train my children, and great shall be their peace. 

And again in Psalm 89, He reassured me that If my children walk in disobedience, He will visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquities with stripes. However, He will still be  loving and kind to them, because He is faithful.

The children that I thought would not survive without my stable earning power, have become the channel of blessings to me and the Work.

Without secular pensions,  God through His faithful children, are paying my bills and giving me the care and support that is way out of this world’s system.

God is indeed the Promise keeper.

Everything He promised me through His Word, is still manifesting daily in my life’s experiences.

In Isaiah 62, He promised me a changed lifestyle.

I have all I need. And my bloodline is healed. 

People of God, if you have received Word from God, you can take it to the bank.  

If you are resisting the Call upon your life, you are being as foolish as the foolish virgins and the rich fool.

If you humble yourself, you will receive more grace and exaltation. 

Where I am today is the result of the outworking of God’s grace and favor in my bloodline.

It was not easy, but God never left my side throughout the challenging times. 

God is not partial, what He is doing for me can happen for you too, if you choose to get right with Him today.

 Do You want to get right with God?

Say the Prayer of Salvation below. It is as easy as ABC

PRAYER OF SALVATION 

* Dear Father God, I ACKNOWLEDGE that I have fallen short of Your purpose for my life. 

* I need your help in order to get back in line with You. 

* I BELIEVE with my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who died for me and paid the price for my sins.

* I CONFESS with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the living Savior and the Master of my life.

* By faith in Jesus Christ, I receive eternal life into my spirit and the grace to live right. 

* I declare that I am born again. 

* Thank you Jesus Christ for saving my soul. 

* I believe that now that I am in Christ, my life will take a turn upwards. 

* Thank You Father for so great a salvation that you wrought for me in Christ Jesus. 

* Help me to walk in the direction of  my new life,  in Christ name I pray. Hallelujah.

If you said that prayer, CONGRATULATIONS.!!!

You are now a member of God’s Royal family worldwide. 

You need to join a Christian Church in your community,  

• where they preach from the Bible,
•  worship together in songs of praise to God,
•  and have a support network for members (cell groups).

Christianity is ‘a together faith’.   

It is to your advantage that you identify with a local church group: Because, the corporate anointing with the prayer covering of the brethren will shield you from the pressing darkness. 

In addition, your faith will grow as you listen to preachings, teachings and testimonies from others. 

Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world. (See 1John 5:4)

Prayer 

God bless and guide you into His truth,  restrain the devil from you and yours, deliver you from all evil, and grant you your heart’s desires in accordance with His perfect will always,  in Christ Jesus matchless name I pray.

Shalom. From Hephzibah Christly #theSpiritualWarrior