Sunday morning, Vicky dressed up in a new purple knee-length dress. That was the first dress that she bought in America. She purchased it after setting apart tithe from her food business and sending 100$ to her sister’s account through Western Union, for her mother. She was so happy to have such a success in the food business. She knew that, soon she would be able to buy a phone and collect money to buy her new laptop.
She pampered her braids in front of her bedroom mirror and turned to the bed where she picked her shoulder-bag and left the room.
As she neared the church, she lowered her motion, amazing a handful of familiar guys hovering outside the church doors.
She walked closer and greeted Wayne, Gregory, Kyle and the rest of the band members.
“You’re late." Wayne said.
“No. The service starts at 9.” She replied and checked her watch. “Right, it’s 9:15.” She turned back to them. “Why are you outside?”
“Your pastor invited us to sing in your church.” Kyle replied.
Vicky smiled. “That is great. Were you waiting for me?”
“Wayne actually.” Gregory answered.
“Suddenly, they can’t sing without me.” Wayne added.
Vicky agreed to that. “That’s right. No one can play the keyboard like you.”
“I support Vicky.” Greg said.
“It’s also great to have you all for the mass.” Vicky said looking at Greg and Wayne. “So, are we going to rehearse or something? Where’s Debby?”
“She is inside, leading the service.” Kyle replied.
“The guys are all kinda anxious.” Fred, the oldest guy in the group told Vicky.
Vicky glanced at him and back at them. “Relax. We will be fine. It’s like, we have been practicing for this, the whole week.”
Kyle sighed.
“Are you unconvinced, Kyle?” Wayne asked, patting Kyle’s shoulder.
“Ah it’s alright.” he agreed, reluctantly.
“So, let’s go in.” Vicky suggested.
They followed her inside and Wayne for the first time in his life, stepped into a church.
When he did, there was some music playing and Deborah stood at the stage, singing a slow song with her eyes closed. Members who had already arrived, stood in front of their seats with their hands raised.
Wayne was captivated by the words of the song.
“We give you all the glory
We worship you O Lord
You are worthy to be praised.”
The chorus was numerously repeated.
He bluntly followed the guys to a bench in the back rows while, Vicky walked to sit at the front.
Wayne shut his eyes and raised his hands to the air, following what the Christians were doing. He hoped that, they were worshiping God.
He did too, thinking about how God had given him peaceful nights and a second chance to do his group assignment.
As he sang, he felt his hair strands standing, it was divinely refreshing to recite those spiritual lyrics, sincerely, from his heart.
When Deborah begun to pray, he uttered his own words of thank you to the Almighty God and eventually, requested for his intervention in his assignment, mother’s and Sasha’s health.
He found himself having more words to pray than other times. By the time the prayers ended, he clapped his hands saying many Thank you’s to Jesus.
“Amen.” The pastor walked forward and said, holding a mic and an opened Bible. “Thank you Deborah. Our God is good?”
“All the time.” The church chorused.
“Amen and all the time?” The man of God asked again.
“God is good.”
Wayne was smiling, nodding to that true greeting.
“Please open your Bible quickly to Mark 16 and let’s read together from verse 16 to 18,” the pastor directed.
Many people begun to shuffle the pages of their Bibles and at that time, Wayne blamed himself for not bringing over his Bible. However, he took out his phone and opened his Bible app. When he found Mark, he added another tab to launch a recording app. He did not want to miss anything from the service.
“The Bible says in Mark 16 from verse 16; whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Verse seventeen says; and these signs will accompany those who believe; in my name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues; verse 18; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover.” The pastor read and begun to pray. “Father in the name of Jesus. We thank you for this opportunity of coming before you today. Father we would like to learn from you and we pray that you may teach us. I destroy and destruct any power or thought of darkness that is acting against this service, in the name of Jesus. As the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:5; we destroy all arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ. Thus, I destroy every obstacle to the knowledge of God in this room and take the thoughts of everyone captive to heed your voice Jesus. We pray that, we may learn from you LORD; in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
“Amen.” The church chorused.
“Praise the Lord.” The pastor greeted.
“Amen!”
“If you are writing somewhere, please note as the head of today’s sermon; to exercise faith.” The pastor instructed and paused. “The Bible says that, whoever believes and is baptized will be saved but, he who does not believe will be condemned. The belief that is being talked about here is that faith in Christ Jesus. That is; he who believes in Jesus and is baptized, will be saved but, he who does not believe will be condemned. Now how many here have believed in Jesus? Just raise your hands.”
There were many hands. Wayne raised his hand as well.
“Amen. Thank you. So, the Bible goes on saying that, the signs will accompany those who believe_ in Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus, in Jesus’ name, they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues, they will pick up serpents and if they drink any deadly thing; it will by no means hurt them. They will their hands on the sick and they will recover.” He paused, relinquishing his Bible on the altar. “Praise the LORD!”
“Amen.”
“We have already believed. And because we do, these signs mentioned in the Bible ought to accompany us. We ought to exercise the faith that we have in Christ Jesus, otherwise it will be like, a turned off switch. If you won’t turn it on, no power will it give.” He paused for ‘Amen’ from the crowd and went on. “The Bible says that; in the name of Jesus, we will cast out demons; demons causing sicknesses, infirmities, depression, poverty; opposition to serving God to the standards that he deserves. Also, it goes on saying that, we will speak in tongues. Now, speaking in tongues comes after being filled with the Holy Spirit. When you receive Jesus Christ as the Savior of your life, the Spirit of God enters your heart and begins to instruct you about the Way of following Jesus. Being filled with the Holy Spirit happens when that Spirit of God abounds and overflows in your heart.” He taught and asked. “Can someone please open the book of John, chapter 4?” He walked to the altar and stood behind it, opening his Bible. “In the Book of John, chapter 4, we see Jesus, encountering a Samaritan woman.”
Wayne, recalled to have read that Chapter. He opened the book of John in his Bible app and perused it, listening to the pastor.
Kyle, who sat at three men past Wayne, glanced at Wayne who was tapping his phone and, furrowed his eyebrows. Does he have a Bible app or something? He wondered.
“Now, Jesus is telling the woman… Please, read verse 14; But, whoever drinks of the water that I will give him, will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water, welling up to eternal life.” The pastor read and shouted. “Hallelujah!”
“Amen.” The church shimmered.
“When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, out of your heart flows rivers of living water. Amen? Please read John again; chapter 7 verse 38.” The pastor said and opened his Bible to the page. “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” He turned to the congregation. “These words may be too hard to understand but, please bear with me for a second.” He paused, darting his eyes around the congregation. “The Spirit of God helps us in our weaknesses for we do not know how to pray as we ought. The Bible says so in Romans 8 verse 26. The Spirit of God also helps us in all of our daily endeavors. He bears all of God’s judgment about our actions. If you are filled with the Spirit of God, you can study better because it will be God teaching you. To exercise faith, you also need to be filled with the Spirit of God.”
There were some nods.
Wayne wondered who the Spirit of God was and what he did to people like him.
“The gift of the Holy Spirit is poured out to all who believe in Christ Jesus. That is why the Bible says; in my name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues. Say Amen?” The pastor went on.
“Amen.” The church repeated.
“The Bible goes on and says that; they will pick up serpents. That means being fearless. Also, in prayers, we pick up the serpents; serpents causing strife, enmity, envy and all manner of evil. Please let us go to Luke 10:9.” He said and turned the pages of his Bible like the rest of the congregation. “Amen, the Bible says in Luke chapter 10 verse 19; Behold I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Amen?”
“Amen.” The mass replied.
“So, in prayers, we tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of darkness causing diseases, distraction, poverty and all kinds of bad feelings or situations that we may be facing.” He paused to lay emphasis. “Listen, our battles are not against our friends or people that we see. If you see your friends quarreling, do not go among them and join the quarrel or, if a friend quarrels with you, do not go punching him or her like a carnal person.” He begun and raised his voice afterward. “Bind that spirit trying to cause strife amidst your friends or with you in the name of Jesus and cast it out!”
“Amen!” The church roared.
The pastor chuckled. “I see that, some of you are not getting me. Please, let us go to Ephesians 6:11.”
The congregation murmured with joy while shuffling the Bible pages.
“The Bible says; put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood,” he paused, stressing the following words, “but, against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. HALLELUJAH!”
“AMEN!” The Church shimmered.
Wayne was nodding, understanding the preacher.
The keyboardist played some notes to add up to the excitement.
The pastor laughed, pacing in front of the altar. “I don’t think that, you still get me.”
The church laughed too.
He paused. “Okay. Open second book of Corinthians, chapter 10 verse 4. We’ll read up to verse 5.” He said and returned to the altar, where his Bible was. “Tell your neighbor, the weapons of our warfare are not of worldly fashion.”
“The weapons of our warfare are not of worldly fashion.” The members told each other.
Wayne told Greg so, seating next to him.
“Amen. The Bible says in 2Corinthians 10:4; for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ!”
“Amen!” the church roared.
“Amen.” Wayne agreed. He felt the power in the words.
“The Bible says in Mark that; if those who believe in Jesus drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them, Amen?” the pastor went on.
“Amen.”
The pastor sighed with exhaustion, lowering his tone. He wiped the sweat that was already wetting his face. “What is the remedy for poison?” he asked.
There were many answers.
“Okay. Let me put this straight. What is the local and common remedy for ingested poison?” He asked and called, “Vicky, can you try that?”
Vicky, sitting at the front seats grinned and rose. “Milk.” She replied audibly.
Wayne nodded to that.
“Thank you. You may have your seat.” The pastor said and turned back to the congregation. “Milk is the commonest and also the most active remedy for poison. It has got many nutritious elements and etcetera. She takes Bio, she understands more than me. But, behold, Jesus detoxifies any toxin!”
“AMEN!” the church exclaimed.
“Amen!” the pastor shouted. “Man of God. The Bible says; those who believe in Jesus; if they drink any deadly thing; IT WILL BY NO MEANS HURT THEM!”
“Amen!” many people shouted, rising and clapping their hands.
“So pray before you eat!” The pastor added funnily and the congregation laughed.
The pastor nodded. “Yeah. You gotta pray before your meal, else this word will not apply to you.
"If anything to destroy you is put in a drink or food, against your knowledge, it will have no effect on you!"
“Amen!” The crowd roared.
The pastor smiled. “Lastly, the Bible says in Mark 16 verse 18; they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover.”
“Amen.” The congregation agreed, nodding.
“If you lay hands on your friends or on yourself for the sake of healing of that person or yourself; in the name of Jesus; there will be recovery!”
“Amen!” The church exclaimed.
“That is exercising Faith in Jesus Christ.”
“Amen.” The crowd chorused.
The background music begun playing as the pastor went on. “Now, we are going to stand up and ask God to give us the ability of exercising the Faith. We are also going to ask him to fill us with the Holy Spirit. If any of you can’t yet speak in tongues; please come forward.” He said and paused for a few seconds.
A person showed up.
“Amen. Please keep coming. We need the Spirit of God to teach us. He will unravel the mystery of God to you more than any minister would. He is with us when our pastors or preachers can’t see us. The Bible says in John 4:26; the counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Those are Jesus’ words.”
More people showed up. Wayne still wondered if he wanted to go forward.
“Amen. That’s it. We will also destroy the evil spirit that is causing strife, wars, envy. We will cast it out in the name of Jesus. If there is any evil spirit, bad feeling, fear bothering you, we’ll just cast it out and deny it in Jesus’ name. Amen?”
“Amen.”
“Amen. Deborah?” The pastor called and moved back, giving space to the people that walked forward to the altar.
Wayne lingered in front of his bench. He was moved inwardly however, when Gregory passed him, going forward to join a couple of guys as Deborah sang a worship song.
Wayne swallowed, literally swallowing his pride and begun to take the steps across the aisle to the altar.
“Thank you. Thank you.” The pastor said. “Whoever has come forward and everyone here, I want to assure you that; God has a purpose for your life. He wants to teach you his ways. He wants to show you his trust. Please lift up your hands to the heavens and repeat after me; Father who is in heaven,”
“Father who is in heaven.” The crowd chorused.
Wayne sighed first and repeated in anguish. “Father who is in heaven.”
“I thank you because you love me.” The pastor sounded.
“I thank you because you love me.” The crowd at the altar repeated.
“Thank you for sending your only son to die on the cross for me and take away all my sins.”
“Thank you for sending your only son to die on the cross for me and take away all my sins.”
“I believe in Jesus Christ and acknowledge him as the savior of my life.”
“I believe in Jesus Christ and acknowledge him as the savior of my life.”
“God I want to follow you.”
“God I want to follow you.”
“Please fill me with your Spirit that he may teach me your ways and all about how I should live.”
“Please fill me with your Spirit that he may teach me your ways and all about how I should live.” They rephrased.
“Okay. Now, start thinking about God; tell him how much you need him and tell him thank you, so many times. When the Spirit of God overflows inside you, you will just know it. When you no longer have control of what you are saying, do not worry, you are speaking in tongues.”
Wayne felt tears tingling his eyes when he recounted to God how much he needed him. He acknowledged just how empty he was and felt without God. Eventually, he followed the pastor’s word to say thank you and he kept repeating thank you Jesus, continually.
“Receive the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ name! Receive in the name of Jesus!” The pastor shouted as Deborah raised her voice in the worship song.
At one time, Wayne felt his thirst quenched like he had drank very cool water. Before he knew it, in an instant; he was shouting in languages that he did not understand, like more other people in the crowd.
He was amazed. He felt so refreshed as he kept on speaking in new tongues.
There are no words to describe the feeling that one experiences when the Spirit of God overflows in him. It’s a divine encounter.
Suddenly, Wayne felt tears fall from his eyes as he thought more about God. At that moment; he felt more complete. He did not feel alone; he felt fulfilled. He could think that, for the first time; he really experienced God’s love.
He did not hear what the pastor said or prayed afterward. He felt a hand on his shoulder and lowered his voice, getting to pray back with his own words. He noticed the pastor.
“Amen. God bless you and keep praying in the spirit.” The pastor said.
Wayne did not respond. He kept praying until when he noticed other people in the crowd, beginning to retire to their seats. He did too and bowed his head, sitting on the bench, concluding his prayers.
“Thank you. Thank you Deborah.” The pastor said and paused till the music subsided and the church became more calm. “Amen. Tell your neighbor; do not be amazed, it is the Spirit of God flowing.” He said and smiled, as the members of the church told each other. “Amen. Today, we have the honor to have the Faith band.” He begun and darted his gaze around the hall. His gaze landed on Kyle. “Kyle Johnson. It is great to see your band glorifying God.”
Kyle laughed, rising.
“Amen. I believe that, you all know Kyle. Their band will be singing today. Right now, actually. I heard their song from the Derby, taking my evening theology class. Truly, it was like hearing a seraph song.”
Kyle laughed, with the rest of the church.
The pastor smiled. “So, welcome Kyle, and the rest your band. I also heard that, Vicky is with you and…” he searched the room for Wayne. “Astrophe! Our mascot leader! This is definitely a seraph song.”
The church broke into a louder laughter.
Wayne himself rose, shaking his head.
The band walked forward to the stage and Wayne went behind the instruments with Fred, getting acquainted with the keyboard while, Vicky made the intro.
“Praise the LORD? This is the Fangs-turned-Faith band. We are going to sing a song called Salvation. We hope that, you’ll like it and it will transform your life.” Vicky said and begun humming.
Shortly, Wayne started the music and she begun to sing.
“There is salvation, in no one else!
Except Jesus Christ who died for us.
For there’s no other name, given among men!
By which we must be saved.”
Kyle and the other boys, joined the refrain with unique voices, causing excitement from the crowd.
Deborah, with her high pitched voice, sang the bridge while, Wayne played the keyboard notes with distinct professionalism. He never felt that happy and useful before.
The spectators rose when Vicky raised her voice, singing the following verse, shutting her eyes and feeling each word.
Some people gathered outside the church after hearing the song that already took fame in the campus over the past week.
Lastly, Kyle, feeling the vibrancy, took the floor with the mic, singing the last verse with his own graceful voice.
Greg had risen from his seat, taking videos as his buddies performed. He turned around with his phone slowly, to capture the spectators.
He paused at the sight of Miley. She was standing with more other girls, outside the door of the church, watching the band.
Their gaze met and the two remained staring at each other for some seconds.
He did not know what to do but, he took the first advice that came to his mind.
“Come over," he whispered to her.
She furrowed her eyebrows in queer.
“Come over” he called, louder this time.
She shook her head, pointing at her skirt. It exposed a large part of her legs.
“Just come. Jesus is calling you.”
“What?” She called back.
“Jesus is calling you!” Gregory called.
She took a minute debating with her herself about entering the church and, when the song stopped and the people were cheering, she dashed inside and sat with him.
“Thank you. Thank you. God bless you.” The pastor said between the cheers.
“Thank you.” Vicky said on behalf of the band.
“Such a blessing. I believe that, God in heaven, is very much happy.” The pastor went on as the band retired to their seats.
Noticing Miley at his place, Wayne followed Vicky to where she sat.
“You should be singing every week.” The pastor suggested and turned to the crowd at the church’s threshold. “Please, welcome. God is calling you and, he has a lot in store for you.” He said and turned back to his congregation. “Now, may I return the floor to the leader of the service? God bless you.”
“Amen.” The church chorused.
#
“That was great!” Emeka told Vicky at the end of the service.
The crowd had begun dispersing and many people came to congratulate the band.
Vicky, who stood with Wayne, smiled at Emeka. “Thank you.”
Emeka grinned and glanced at Wayne. “I need to learn some of those skills. I used to play the keyboard in my church back in Lagos but, I wasn't as good.”
Wayne gave him a lopsided smile. “It’s alright. Amh, just memorize the keys. I know that I was good at it when I was a kid. It's amazing how it came back to me recently.”
“It’s God.” Vicky said.
They went on chatting for a while.
Kyle went to meet the pastor. He smiled at Kyle after seeing him and stretched his hand for an arm shake.
Kyle shook it. “Pastor. I want to receive Jesus.”
The pastor raised his eyebrows. He was clearly appalled. But, Kyle's decision was joyful. He nodded saying, “It’s good. That, will be the wisest decision you’ve ever made.”
Kyle nodded too. “I don’t know but, I just found myself thinking that, all I’ve been doing in my life, was not important. Today, though, I am not really part of your flock, God has made me feel important. I thought in myself that, if this is Jesus, then, I want to receive him.”
The pastor agreed. “Amen and Jesus wants to use you in even more exceptional ways and before even more high profile men and women of his. Just shut your eyes.”
Kyle did.
The pastor led him through the prayers of repentance.
In the back benches, Gregory stood with Miley.
“The band was great.” She said, looking around the church.
“Yeah. It’s even more great that, you agreed to come.”
“Are you kidding? I mean, Fangs is singing a Faith song but, it’s so cool.”
He smiled staring at her bluntly.
“Oh.” She sighed, stretching her dress. “It’s my skirt right? Do you think that, you pastor will get angry?”
“Miley. That will come later. You have to know Jesus first.”
“Greg. I don’t know if I want to be like you.”
“But, why? You don’t lose anything. In fact, you gain everything that is important.”
She sighed. “I can’t be a Christian. What about my friends… and family?”
He took her hands. “Miley. Jesus is the best friend more than anyone could ever be. Better yet, I want to be family with you.”
She eyed him for a while wondering whether to accept him or not.
“Miley?” He called her again. “I love you. I never stopped thinking about you since the minute I left your apartment. I want to marry you.”
She sighed. “I guess that, I also realized how much I love you ever since that minute.”
He broke into a smile. “So, let us get married.”
“Greg. I don’t know if I’ll be doing what is right," she said, shaking her head and then added, “marriage has got a lot of things.”
“Yes but, we know and we understand each other; more importantly, God will lead us through everything. Miley, please?”
She drew her hands free. “Please, give me some time to think about it.”
He sighed and nodded. “Alright. Will you keep coming to church?”
“Maybe. I don’t know.”
“Make an effort. It is good for you.”
She smiled and said, “Okay. Good day.”
“Same with you. I will see you in class tomorrow.”
She nodded and they parted.
#
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