Fight for the Building

Today I grew my faith, my children did not go to school today, (neither did i go to work) and they were up to their usual shenanigan…as at 10am, the house was looking like a war zone and the intensity of the screams and laughter was at its peak, the baby who just recovered from a stint with cold had decided mummy’s hand is the best place for now, so my hands were full, my back ached and I was already having a headache by 10 in the morning. I had a lot to do but I was unable to start anything because they will want to help and that will double my work.

I decided to exercise my faith and I asked their guardian angel to make them sleep so deeply that they will wake up when I have finished my chores. I told them to climb the bed,

Mummy is it night? They asked, “No” I replied. Is it evening? They asked again, no, I answered…Afternoon? No

Then they climbed the bed without complaint and they all slept off scattered in different direction…oh wow I thought…I did all the chores…laundry, lunch, e.t.c and a thought came to me as I was banging pots and plates, this noise will wake them, you better be do things quietly…I started walking with stealth then I realized nah…that is my reasoning and not faith, so I banged and shut to my heart’s content and not even a peep from them.

While doing the laundry, the weather changed and it started raining, I was worried but when I finished, I thought this is another avenue to exercise my faith…and I said…rain it’s enough for today, I want this clothe to dry, sun come out now…as I was saying this another thought came, who do you think you are, Joshua who told the sun to stand still? But I ignored the thought because I knew it was my mind/reasoning trying to make me be realistic but I am tired of being realistic…long story short, the rain stopped before I finished hanging the clothes to dry.

Is this how this work? God wants me to have the best, I thought as I came inside to sit and type…then my daughters stood up and came out of the room, I thought (as usual) oh well, at least it worked for a while but something in me kicked against it and I thought no! God does not do things half way, I told them come and lie beside me; they took over the couch, as they were about sleeping off, the rain started again.

I looked through the window and said…”rain I thought I told you to stop; you want to show yourself…you better stop there in Jesus name.”

Long story short they are sleeping beside me right now and the rain has stopped. This fight of faith, I am ready to fight it till a winning end and build it as I go through with Christ…what prompted all this…

Wednesday night by chance, I came across Nwanyi akamu’s insta live on Instagram…I decided to listen in and she was talking on “faith or fear” she said a lot of things, (for those of you who are not following her, please do and I think the video should still be on replay, do endeavor to watch and listen and you will be glad you did)

She said she keeps goals and asks God for specifics, not asking generally. She said she was praying for her daughter’s school and fees two years before she entered the school.

Someone asks her how do you grow your faith and she said start small and grew it bit by bit. Like you believe God for small things that your faith can handle then you increase it from there…you cannot say you believe God for a hundred thousand and you do not believe he will give you a thousand naira…then she gave an example of how she asked God for a year fees for her daughter’s school…

According to her she said… Father, give me a year’s fee, let me just clear everything instead of running helter skelter after three months for another term’s own and God gave her and now she is has asked God for the fees for the five years the daughter will be in school…hearing this I looked at my phone again to be sure I heard correctly…I believe in praying ahead but I have never consciously prayed for school fees or even a year’s worth for that matter, I just felt ehn when the time comes God will make a way.

She said when we pray, are we asking in faith or in fear…because you are scared of the repercussion if it does not happen or asking knowing God’s got your back, and that you are talking to the one who has the cattle on a thousand hills so there is no limit to what he can do?

That is why I decided to consciously grow my own faith today…before that I was led to read Luke8;  where Jesus gave the parable of the sower and the seed…it was like God was asking me, which of the soil am I going to be, now that the seed of the word has been planted through Nwanyi Akamu’s message …and then I came across where Jesus was sleeping while the storm raged and the disciples were petrified…will I run helter skelter petrified like the disciple in my head/mind or calm myself with God’s word and praise…I saw Jarius daughter dead and Jesus saying do not be afraid, trust me and all will be well…it was like that was what he was telling me…when he got to Jarius house, he drove everyone out and entered with only four of his disciples and the girl’s parent…who are you surrounding yourself with, like minds or naysayers? Jesus might as well have allowed the crowd to remain and witness the glory of God but he did not…you cannot be among people with mediocre mindset and expect to be great, you will remain in that mediocre level, you cannot change them either, they will change your mindset and limit you without you even realizing it.

I use to exercise my faith but along the line I either became lazy, relaxed or started trusting in my own ability I don’t know which…because I remember as a newly married lady, I wanted to take in immediately but my period came the next month, I told it…I don’t care whether you come or not, if you like flow more than usual, I am pregnant this month and that is all I need to know, that month I was pregnant…but I forgot, I gave in to fear and listened to the let’s be realistic crew… are we made to be realistic but who’s reality…?

How are you growing/building your faith?

What’s your testimony?

Are you team realistic…how is it going for you? at least no expectations that will be disappointed right?

Do you listen when you pray? What is your motive…fear or faith?

Are you limiting God in your asking, do you dare stretch by asking for that realistically unrealistic request?

PS: I use Kenneth Hagin’s method to handle worry…he said Philippians 4:6 says be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God… so after making his requests and thanking God for answers…he says “I refuse to worry or be anxious over anything” whenever the devil tries to remind him of the situation…he keeps declaring it as long as the thought comes and replaces the worry with that statement…I did it yesterday and it helped me a lot.

PPS: Its reassuring knowing people who had results like that had worries too, it helps me see that I too can overcome worry.