5 PLUS PLOTS OF LAND, SHOPRITE AND THE ANSWER WAS A CAPITAL “NO!”
It’s been about 6 years now since I relocated from Lagos to Ilorin via Ife. There has been many things learnt, hence many things to share. I told God in 2012 that I will share my experiences in ministry as I daily walk with him. I have found out that a major undoing of young pioneers like myself is not knowing HOW TO RUN A MINISTRY and HOW TO HANDLE MOMENTS OF DISCOURAGEMENT along the way. So I thought to share this and encourage you along your journey, Sir and Ma. Let me share a mistake I almost made with you, Sir and Ma.
Well, after doing all I knew to do in the first 3 years of ministry and we weren’t growing, suddenly people began coming from everywhere. Really, in no time we needed a bigger space. I scouted and looked and then one day I got speaking with someone I love and respect so much and he said we could have his property that was beside or more like a few blocks from SHOPRITE. I was beside myself with excitement. I could not wait to share it with my wife. It was by the road, it was a little more than 5 plots, it was a high brow area and IT WAS FREE, just the way I wanted it. My wife and I rejoiced.
A few weeks later, my peace began to wane, I started praying and asking God what the problem was, I mean, we had ordered for a MARQUEE from China to put on that land. The more I prayed the more my peace disappeared.
Finally, I knew God didn’t want us to move to that area. I felt so bad. I had already announced in church. Father! Why now? Oh God! I was like please God it’s free o! It’s right by the road. Especially because for three and a half years we had been in one “koro” in GRA. You see, there are many things we as PASTORS consider advantages to the work that really do not matter to God in the scheme of things. So we had to return the property, REALLY. Here was my concern: when the Marquee landed in Nigeria, where would we put it? God! Why do You usually scatter things like this? Now this was the second time this was happening to us. When Citizens of Light Church was barely 1 year old, a woman had come to church and had given us 2 plots of land with a 2 bedroom flat on it for the work of God and GOD TOLD ME TO RETURN HER PROPERTY, THAT HE HAD RECIEVED IT BUT THAT I SHOULD RETURN IT. And there we were again.
Well one beautiful morning, a wonderful brother in church told me about a property in an area. When we got there, before I even came down I knew this was not the place. We left the place and on our way back he showed me another massive property right by the roadside and said, “And this is a beautiful property but they will not give it to us. The owners are staunch Muslims”. THE LORD SPOKE IN MY HEART IMMEDIATELY AND SAID, “THIS IS THE PLACE”.
Now, I got to speak with the owners after prayers had gone up over the property and THEY AGREED. We reached a price agreement (that’s another testimony but not for today). This land was not free; it was expensive. I REFUSED TO TALK ABOUT GIVING MONEY TO GET THE PROPERTY ESPECIALLY SINCE WE GAVE TOWARDS THE MARQUEE ALREADY. So we did not have the money and we had limited time to pay. I WAS NEVER GOING TO CALL ANYONE TO ASK FOR ANYTHING AS A PERSONAL PRICINPLE AND BORROWING AND LOAN IS A ‘NEVER’ FOR US. BUT GOD PROVIDED FOR IT, AND SUPER ABUNDANTLY TOO. So we moved in eventually.
When it was free, the LORD said NO. When it was expensive, the LORD said YES AND PAID FOR IT.
Looking for free things should not be what we should focus on. Rather, following his guidance which I missed out on at first should be the focus. FOCUS ON HIS GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION. GOD WILL LEAD YOU TO THE PLACE YOU OUGHT TO BE. COMFORT, EASE AND FREE IS NOT ALWAYS A PROOF IT IS GOD. IT MAY BE SATAN TRYING TO STEAL SOMETHING FROM YOU IN THE NAME OF AWOOF (free things). He who gave the ministry to YOU knows where he wants it to be. Leave classy alone. Leave free alone. Leave tush alone (just our way of saying sophisticated). Embrace direction, please, EVEN IF IT IS UNDER THE TREE. You will soon realise the wisdom of God is truly higher.
IT’S BEEN ABOUT 2 YEARS SINCE WE MOVED TO THIS PROPERTY NOW AND WE HAVE TRIPPLED IN ATTENDANCE! WE HAVE MORE DISCIPLES TO TRAIN, MORE SAINTS TO MATURE, MORE MINISTERS TO EQUIP, MORE SOULS SAVED, MORE ROOM TO TEACH AND DEVELOP OUR CHILDREN EVEN IN THE JUNIOR CHURCH AND THE CHILDREN CHURCH, WHICH WE CALL ATRIUM CHURCH. You know why? It was 5 plus plots we walked away from but GOD PROVIDED 12 PLOTS FOR HIS WORK. PLEASE, DON’T MOVE BY THE HEARING OF THE EARS AND SEEING OF THE EYES ALONE. LET YOUR HEART UNDER GOD INSTRUCT YOU. The time is too short to waste on experiments. We can harvest more souls, train more men and believe God for more, just make sure you follow instructions, please.
WELCOME TO FREEDOM.
#NotesfromPM