MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: Faith for successful living

Probably you are still thinking these people whose testimonies I have shared are not known and you want to know my own experience of faith. Let me gladly share few things with you. I believe your faith will be increased through these testimonies. I have shared with you my calling into the ministry. May I quickly add that my four years in the seminary ( 1991 - 1995) were full of testimonies of the faithfulness of God.

WAITING AND BELIEVING GOD FOR Dl RECTION: During my final session in the seminary, I began to pray to God as touching where He would want me to see Him. I was sure, I would see him in Lagos State, but the actual area I was not. When it was five weeks to my graduation, I still had no clue. Four weeks to my graduation, my School President sent for me and introduced me to a man who came from Lagos. He was sent by his Church to call a Pastor for her. I discussed with the man and he invited me to the Church the next Sunday. We prayed and I left for my room.

I then began to rejoice that at last, God had provided a place of service. But the Lord after some time made me to know that, that is not where He needed me. I began to wonder why the Lord would say no when that was the only call from Lagos and it was now three weeks to graduation. I prayed and asked Him to lead me aright. I dare not serve where He would not want me. That will be disastrous.

The following day, while playing table tennis, a senior colleague at School told me that a small Church in Lagos had requested him to look for a pastor for them and he would want me to give them a consideration. They would be happy if I can worship with them the following Sunday. I requested for the name and he said First Baptist Church, IIupeju. I told him I would pray and give him my reply after two days. The following day, another senior colleague came to me and extended a call of a leading Church in Lagos as an associate minister to me. He said the Church would be glad to meet with me the following Sunday. I told him, I have enough on hand and I don't think I will give that Church any consideration. He told me to go and pray over it. In my prayers, I became more confused. I knew if I had to visit those churches before I made my decision, I would be led by sight. So, I spent the night (a Friday night) to pray over their and the Lord convinced me of the smaller, Church. I gladly accepted the will of God for me for I know His will is the best and His way is always right.

When Saturday morning came, I went to the senior colleague who was linking me with First Baptist Church, Ilupeju to let him know my decision. But he surprised me when he said someone had told him about the invitation of the bigger Church and he would prefer me to go there. I told him, I had prayed and the Lord has given the direction. I requested for the address of the smaller church and I travelled to Lagos. I worshipped with the Church and indeed it was a smaller church of members compared to the congregation of 1,000 members I was pasturing in Ogbomoso town as a Student. But that is the will of God for me.

Don't you forget that the bigger Church my School President introduced me to would still be expecting me? The following Sunday, May 14, 1995, I honoured their invitation to preach even though I had known the Lord would not want me there. I preached and came ,back to the Seminary.

TEMPTATION TO DERAIL
Well, I began to expect a letter of call from the smaller church. But that did not happen. Rather, the bigger church sent their own letter to me when it was one week and three days to my graduation. I was tempted to accept the call of the bigger church since the smaller church had not responded. But when I prayed, the Lord told me to reply the bigger Church and let her know I would not be corning. That was not easy for me, but I obeyed. On the following Monday, when it was just five days to my graduation, I went to my School President to let him know my decision. He was a bit angry and he thought I did not know what I was doing. He asked "How did you know that the Holy Spirit is not leading you to the Church"? I answered him with a smile, I'd prayed and the Lord had convinced me that He is not leading me there. I cannot go there. I then posted the letter by express postal service.

I then began to wait for the Church of God's choice to write their own letter. When it was just three days to my graduation, a woman came looking for me and she presented a letter to me. I unsealed the envelope and I discovered it was a letter of call from the mother church on behalf of the smaller church.

Reading the letter, I felt like telling the woman, I would not be coming for the letter was not what I expected. I, a BA/BTh graduate was being offered a total monthly package of N2, 943.00 while some Diploma graduates were offered nothing less than N3, 500.00 in places that are not in Lagos State. I shook my head, but I remembered the Lord needed me there. I then told the woman, By the grace of God, I will resume on 1st of July, 1995. But she should let them know my complaint about the package. Later, another letter was written to me with an increase of 76.00. Now my total package read N3, 019. I had peace of mind that I had accepted the will of God. But how will I cope with a salary of N3,019.00 in a place like Lagos. So I decided to depend on God.

THE FIRST LESSON THE LORD TAUGHT ME
I resumed the pastorate of First Baptist Church, IIupeju on 1st of July 1995 with only N 150.00 in my pocket. It was a Friday and by the following Monday, I had only N20.00 left. I began to think, how will I cope with N20.00 for a whole month with two of my brothers that are staying with me. Thank God, the Church made provision of some food stuff namely beans, rice and garri and a pot of soup. But how will Ii cope? I prayed that the Lord should send someone to be a blessing.

I waited for two days and no one came to give me anything. I then decided that since the Lord did not send anyone to help, I would go to the Pastor of the Mother Church to take a loan of N 1, 000.00. I went to him and he arranged for the loan. I collected the loan on Friday 8th July 1995 and I was glad that I Would have money to spend for the month. That same evening, I visited the house of a member of our Church, a woman I will prefer to call "The Chosen Lady" 2John 1" for some reasons you will later discover. When I was leaving, she handed over an envelope to me. She said, Pastor, yoU have a letter'. I collected it and I went home. On getting home, I opened the letter and it read

Pastor,

I just feel I should give yoU this N1,000.00 since you have just started work and wouldn't have any salary for now. May the Almighty uphold you as you assume his duties.

Yours sincerely
(Name with-held]

I felt ashamed of myself. The Lord then said to me "Son, you thought I would not do it. So YOU went ahead to work it out yourself by taking that loan. Will you noW believe me daily for your provision and sustenance? Beloved, that was the entire tonic I needed for my faith to be alive in Him. He has continued to provide beyond my expectation even from sources 1 least expected. I then began to live daily confessing, "the Lord is my Shepherd, I shaH not want». That small church of 150 members has now grown to a congregation of over 500 members today. The Church is now called, Amazing Grace Baptist Church, IIupeju AKA the Sanctuary of God's Presence, power and Glory. Praise the Lord.

GOD PROVIDED A CAR
I began to pray for the provision of a car in the year
1996. When I read the story of Paul Yonggi Cho which I had shared with you earlier, I became more specific on my request. I prayed for a four-door car with a dosed boot. I preferred a four-door car for convenience and dosed boot for security of my luggage. 1998 came; I was still expecting the car. Sometimes, I would look down from my window to see if someone had just brought a car for me. Whenever I saw a new or strange car in the church compound, I would think may be it has come. Whenever I went out, I would be coming home expecting to find a car parked somewhere for me. I was expecting someone to come and say the Lord has laid it upon my heart to provide this car for your use in the Ministry'. But that did not happen. I then began to think that such men no longer exist or they no longer obey God.

I believed the car I had prayed for would still come even if no one was willing to help. I knew for me, the car is a tool for the Ministry, not a luxury. Sometimes, when I was invited for ministration in other Churches, I would get there late because I would not want to rush with people to secure vehicle. Sometimes when I rushed, my suit would be roughened. Sometimes rain would fall and my clothes would be wet. I became more serious with my request. One day, I told my wife, "Before the end of the year 1998, I will ride a car: She simply smiled and said. Amen.

First week of October that same year, it was my turn to collect a monthly contribution(Ajo) of ten Pastors. You see, ten of us began to save N2, 500.00 each month for the use of one of us. It was not easy for me to deduct N2, 500.00 from my salary. But I did. Now it was my turn. I collected N25, 000.00 and I added N5, 000.00 to it to make it N30, 000.00. I then told people to begin to search for a car for me. Most of them felt I was not serious for how could I desire a car with N30, 000.00 in the year 1998. That amount would not even buy a Motorcycle. But I kept on searching for a car.

On October 13, I was in a Church bus returning from Lagos Baptist Ministers Fellowship meeting with some other Pastors when a fine car passed us. One of us then said A fine car, may God provide our own. We all said Amen· I then said Before the end of this year, I will ride one: Some of them simply glanced at me probably thinking, how will he get a car. How much does a Baptist Pastor earns that he will be able to buy a car unless he is given one by someone?' But I was sure of what I had said for I had settled it with God. The Lord had given it, I had received it in prayer and I will soon have it. I was pregnant of the car; I will soon deliver it and everyone will see"

On Thursday, October 29, 1998, a member of our church came to inform me of a car that was to be sold in a place not too far from his shop. The following day, we visited there and we found a Honda Accord car, four doors, closed boot and fairly used. The one in charge said the owner wanted to sell it for N135, 000.000. I bargained for N70, 000.00. The man in charge promised to contact the owner. The following day, he sent words that the woman would not sell for anything less than N75, 000.00 I was given 4th of November to bring the money or else, the car would be sold to someone else. I blessed God for the development. But I only had N30, 000.00. How would I get the remaining N45, 000.00 within four days if it took me more than a year to raise N30, OOO.OO? I believed this might be impossible with men, but with God, all things are possible.

I prayed to seek the face of God and he assured me the car was mine. But how do I get the N45, 000.000? I then decided to talk with three of our church members, two men and one woman the following Sunday who I assumed will be willing to help. I told them the urgency of the need. They all gave their complaints but promised to do something. Monday came; there was no response from any of them.

When Tuesday came, I said "Lord, I have only one day more and no one has come to help. Is the car really mine?" At evening time, the only woman "the Chosen Lad" out of the three came with a sum of N20,OOO.OO that she borrowed from her office on my behalf. I thanked God for her and prayed for her. Now I had N50, 000.00. How do I get the remaining N25, 000.00?" I prayed and blessed God for what he had done believing Him to provide the balance the following day, the D day.

Early in the morning, November 4, I went to the man who introduced the car to me. He then said, he had the sum of N25, 000.00, which someone had kept with him. I could use it if only I could get it back by December ending. I gladly accepted the money and we both went to buy the car. Whao! On 4th of November 1998, I bought and drove my Honda Accord, fairly used, four doors and closed boot car home. It was amazing. I parked the car in the Church compound and none of our church members besides the man who introduced the car to me knew it was mine. On Saturday, November 7, I conducted the First miracle service of the church as 'me Lord had directed me. Many people, came and were blessed. But they did not know my own miracle car was already in the compound. On Sunday, November 8, I dedicated the car to the glory of God.

Now, I had a car, but how would I pay the N45,000.00 debts most especially, the N25, 000.00 due in December. I then wrote for a loan of N30, 000.00 from my church. I promised to pay N2, 500.00 monthly from January to December 1999. It was granted. I paid the N25, 000.00 and gave the Chosen lady the remaining N5, 000.00. When I got my Christmas Salary and bonus in December, I gave her another N5, 000.00 which she rejected. She said, the Lord had blessed me greatly these few days than I can imagine. Pastor, count the remaining N 15, 000.00 as my own contribution. I was highly grateful to God and to her. I then prayed for more blessings upon her from the deepest part of my heart and the Lord granted it.

Indeed, the Lord opened a window of blessings for her. Within a span of ten months, God's blessings on her private business outfit besides her monthly salary were over N1.2 million. I can say this for she informed me when those business opportunities came and we prayed for their success. When the success came, she did not hide it from me. It then became clearer to me that God's thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are his ways higher than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts. Then I had a car numbered BW 289 IKJ. I had no other debt to pay besides the N2, 500.00 per month for the next 12 months.

THE DEVIL STRUCK, GOD REPLACED THE CAR
As indicated earlier in this book, the devil struck on April 30, 1999 and I lost the car. Some people felt money should be taken from the church purse to replace the car. But I did not want a committee blessing. So I rejected the idea. I hoped that God would raise some people who would not only be sympathetic with their words, but also with their purse. But I waited in vain. I had just paid N2500.00 out of the N30, 000.00 loan when I lost the car. It was a double sorrow for me. But God had a purpose for it.

When I had waited for about four weeks and no one seemed willing or able to get a replacement, I decided to get another one. I prayed and told the Lord it would be a shame if I continued to walk around. My testimony will not be full if the car is not replaced. Then, the Lord said to me "Faith does not sit down expecting, faith acts. I then began to search for another car. I only had N10, 000. This was part of the N11, 480.00 the Church refunded to me for the towing of the car from Ondo State to Lagos.

The man who helped me to get the first car came to me to inform me of another car, displayed for sale, a Honda Accord, 82 Model, four doors and closed boot-car. The shape was better than the former car except that its engine was bad. The owner would not sell for anything less than N50, 000.0. But I only had N10, 000.00. The man then helped me get a loan of N40, 000.00 from his Co-operative Society.

The money was to be paid by August. I had, no idea how I would pay it for I was still paying, N2,500.00 monthly for the former car. But I knew the Lord would pay it. So I bought the car and put the engine of the other car into it: Then, I have another car. I then began to ride, this car with a loan of N60,000.00 (N40, 000.00 Plus N20, 000.00) hanging on neck. I continued to believe God for provision. In August, the Lord blessed the Chosen Lady and she did not forget me. She brought N20, 000.00 and I serviced the debt of N40, 000.00 with the amount. I finally paid the remaining N20, 000.00 through a miraculous provision in November. Now, I was free of debts. Hallelujah.

In December, my Church saw the need to refund all the debts I had repaid after the accident. When I was given the money, I used it as part of the money I spent to put the car in good shape. That's how I have another car to His Glory.

This is my own faith testimony. I hope it has added to your faith. Faith may be risky but those who have tried doubt have discovered that it is disastrous. Faith works; then, now and ever. If faith had worked for other people including me, it can work for you too. Now. let's look at the secret, laws and language of faith.

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* Reverend Israel Kristilere pastors Shepheredhil baptist Church, Obanikoro, Lagos Nigeria. Contact him at www.shepherdhillbaptist.org