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Fifth time lucky

September 14, 2015 thepearlsisters 10 Comments

Seventeen, an age most teenagers in the UK anticipate turning one day. It is the year one becomes eligible to apply for a provisional driving licence. Less than a decade ago, this was me. I had fantasized about the way my driving test would go; moreover I envisioned my first car. Never did I anticipate that it would have taken much longer for this vision to materialize.

I was the first one out of my group of friends to start driving lessons, and ended up being the last to obtain my full driving licence (Matthew 20:16 “In the same way, the last will be first, and the first will be last, because many are called, but few are chosen”). As much as I prayed, believed, fasted and anointed myself with oil, I just kept failing. I didn’t understand how someone who was trying to do things “God’s way” could not pass a simple driving test. It was disheartening and embarrassing. At one point, I started to doubt where God was: “God, if You are there, surely You will help me pass my driving test”. I quoted scriptures but it just wasn’t working.I stopped believing in myself and my faith was low.

The Lord kept sending messengers and dreams my way encouraging me that I would pass my driving test. I questioned God and wondered whether He could see my current situation, the self-doubt, shame and the money I was investing into this “thing”. I would pray for people and they would pass their driving test, yet I kept failing. I just didn’t understand why God would allow such a thing to happen. Many people continued to ask me whether I had passed yet or how many times I had failed. I would usually change the subject – I felt humiliated and disheartened.

I gave up on “trying” to pass my driving test and surrendered it to God. I said to Him “In Your timing you will allow me to obtain my licence”. That was two years ago. A few months ago, my friend Gladys encouraged me to take up driving again. She continued to motivate me to take a leap of faith and that this time around I would pass. Then three months ago, my prayer partner said God had shown him that I needed a car for ministry purposes and that the time had come to take the test. All the previous emotions started to come back to me: fear of failure, shame, discouragement, financial loss. But I knew I had to face my fears, and surely if this time round God had sent His messengers, He would not allow me to fail (Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”).

With the little faith I had, I took the driving test. After the test, the examiner gave me my practical driving test pass certificate. In disbelief, I asked him whether he was sure I had passed. He responded “Oh ye of little faith”. At that moment I knew that God was with me all along (Matthew 17:20 “He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you”).

We all have things in our hearts we deeply desire and we are wondering where God is. I want to encourage you today, that regardless of how your current situation looks, Jesus is still on the throne and has not forgotten about you! If God has promised you that something will happen, there is nothing satan can do – it has to come to pass (Habakkuk 2:3 “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry”).

I have learnt in life that we cannot compete with God, He knows what is best for us even when we cannot comprehend why particular things happen to us. Only God knows why He allowed me to take this long to obtain my licence. Perhaps He foresaw a car accident? Only He knows (Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”).

One thing I know is that He always wants the best for His children (Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope”). This experience has taught me to fully surrender to God, be patient and not be ashamed of my scars. You never know who you will inspire with your testimony. A Christian sister asked me today “How could you openly tell people you have failed your driving test 5 times, that’s embarrassing!”. I would rather be honest and give all the glory to God than pretend I failed once or twice.

Let us thank God for the things He does for us. It may not be at the time we wish things to occur but it will still happen.

Fifth time lucky – prayer

Dear heavenly Father,

I thank You so much for this time Lord. I thank You that although at times I may feel forgotten, You never forget about me. I thank You for my life and for the fresh grace and mercy You pour upon my life daily (Lamentations 3:22-23 “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning). Father, today I bring before you (state your heart’s desire). Lord You know how much I desire to see this come to pass. I have tried everything humanly possible to make things happen, but things have failed. People have laughed at me, in fact I feel humiliated. I pray Lord that in Your perfect timing this thing will manifest. Give me the grace to be patient and await Your perfect timing. Help me to be at rest and for Your peace to dwell in my heart (Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”). Help me not to envy others but know that You are in control of this situation. I thank You in advance that this will happen, all for Your glory. In Jesus name I pray AMEN

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Salvation of a loved one

August 10, 2015 thepearlsisters 15 Comments

Salvation, the ultimate gift for a believer. Daily strive, daily battle– saved by grace we are indeed. A memoir that seems like yesterday, sweet 16, full of the springs of life. The 7^th month, twenty something, the date and day I can hardly recall. The raising of arms, bended knees, a thrilling sensation filled with warmth and uncontrollable tears. My mouth uttering “Lord, I confess You as my Lord and saviour”– my first encounter. I wanted to share this unforgettable, monumental experience with the person I loved most: my mother. As I uttered the narration of the life changing moment, disbelief and confusion were written on her face. Unable to comprehend the excitement of the encounter and the new found love for the creator, defense was her weapon of understanding. Disappointed I felt, optimistic I was, that one day, she herself would experience this encounter (Ephesians 2:8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”).

As each day went by, visions and dreams increased, prophecies were coming to pass. As much as I shared what I saw, the more she turned away from the ultimate gift of a believer. Delusional I was in the eyes of my loved ones. Five long years, unable to share the divine encounters, I prayed for the salvation of my mother. The more I prayed, the more the word was rejected. Threats restricted me too from attending church, so I had to obey my mother (Ephesians 6:2 “Honor your father and mother-which is the first commandment with a promise”). However I never stopped praying; “she will get saved one day, God will do it for me”.

In the fifth year of my Christian walk, the six month, the Lord led me to attend a Christian retreat, 4000 miles away from home. I didn’t know what the purpose was, but knew He would order my steps. The finances I had, but the permission I hadn’t due to my mother’s resentment to my faith. I went before the Lord and prayed for favour. The Lord answered my prayer and she granted me permission to go. There I was, alone, on a journey, not knowing anyone and what to expect. Those twelve days were well spent, interceding for her salvation and believing God for a miracle. The man of God who was my overseer told me that he wanted to pray for her. In disbelief, I told him she would not agree. As he persisted, I called her and handed over the phone to him. As he prayed for her, I felt a relief, I was not alone on this (Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them”).

When I returned back home from this adventuresome journey, I slowly started to see the physical manifestations of the prayers and declarations I made over her life. One year later, she gave her life to Christ. This year, God blessed her with the gift of speaking in tongues. As we speak, she is my biggest motivator, my biological and spiritual mother. She lifts me up when I am spiritually low and most importantly, she prays for me. Her transformation is the biggest blessing God has ever given me. I can freely share with her the dreams, visions and prophetic messages the Lord gives me and in fact, she enjoys hearing about them. It is a blessing being able to pray with my mother.

It is our duty as believers to persistently pray for our loved ones to come to know the Lord. At no point did I give up or even doubt that my mum was going to get saved. She had too and would get saved, it was final. Regardless of how long it would take, I was willing to pay the price. I believe at times it’s best to quietly intercede for someone rather constantly preach the word of God to them. God works in mysterious ways and has a way of softening the hearts of the lost. The love of God is so powerful, let’s continue to demonstrate this to our lost loved ones. Just like Jesus prayed for us to get saved, lets continue to pray for our loved ones (Romans 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised -who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us”).

He loves us unconditionally and demonstrates this in the parable of the lost sheep: Matthew 18:10-14 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish”. Persecution is tough, especially when it comes from someone close to you (John 4:44 “For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown”). But be encouraged, know that your saviour went before you and overcame this battle.

Salvation of a loved one- prayers

Dear heavenly Father,

I thank You for this time and for allowing me to come into Your presence. Thank You for all the things You have accomplished in my life and are continuing to do. Thank You for the gift of life, for grace and for mercy. Thank You for loving me unconditionally even though I am not worthy. I ask that You would forgive me for all my iniquity and all the things I have done that are not pleasing in Your eyes- have mercy upon me. Father, it is Your desire that each one of us joins You in heaven and receives eternal life (Mark 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned”). Right now, I come before You and lift up (state the persons name). Lord, I know You love this person, because You created him/her. The fact that he/she is still alive shows You still have a great plan for him/her. I pray for his/her salvation, for him/her to know You, to confess You as his/her Lord and saviour. For him/her to live a righteous life, to fulfill the purpose You have for him/her on earth. I pray that You will use his/her life, as a testimony to others to show that You are real. May he/her have a yearning for Your will and a desire to read the word of God. May You forgive him/her, and make them a new creation. Thank You for hearing my prayer, and I believe that it is done. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN

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Rededication of the flesh

July 23, 2015 thepearlsisters 20 Comments

The inspiration for this blog came from a vision I had three months ago. In this vision, I saw women of God walking in disobedience. I didn’t understand why or what this disobedience represented. These women were Sunday school teachers, choir members, ministers, evangelists and intercessors. They all play a vital part in the body of Christ. I asked the Lord: “Father, why are these women walking in disobedience? They are doing what you have called for them to do”. Then the Lord showed me that all these women were engaging in sexual sin and were refusing to repent. They were covering it up, pleasing the ways of man and rejecting His word (Proverbs 28:13 “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy”). It didn’t surprise me, because I was once that lukewarm Christian, trying to please the ways of this world.

By the grace of God, I have had the chance to minister to many women. Whenever God gives me a vision about their involvement in sexually immoral activities, I always share my story with them; how God delivered me and that God reveals to redeem. At times, God reveals these things as a warning to enable us to pray against our shortfalls (see my blog post: matters of the heart). Other times, it’s the current state of our life. God sees what man does not see, and because He loves us, He wants all of us to be in eternity with Him. However, 9/10 of the time, these women deny any form of involvement and become very defensive. She builds a wall around herself, refuses to utter a word of agreement and walks away.

I remember when I was struggling and opened up to my fellow Christian sister. I was suffering in silence and needed some wise counsel. Her life story was different to mine; she had remained pure all of her life. I remember her response, it was very negative and judgemental. It made me feel worthless and I was shocked a fellow Christian could respond this way. I never wanted to open up to anyone again. I was full of regret. I felt naked. I remember pouring out my heart to God. He helped me overcome, heal and also forgive my fellow sister.

It is my heart’s desire that as the body of Christ, we will be able to stand together, help one another rather than judge. May God mould us into Christian women who will stand and pray for one another during tough times (Proverbs 12:26 “The righteous is a guide to his neighbour, but the way of the wicked leads them astray”). We all have flaws and we all fall short. We can lie to ourselves, convince others, but God knows our hearts (see my blog post: matters of the heart).

I want to encourage Christian women reading this that if there is an area which you are struggling with, pour your heart out to the Lord. He will not judge you, He will not guilt trip you, in fact He loves you just the way you are (Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”). There is no mistake you have made or will make that He does not already know about. All He wants is for you to come to Him with a sincere heart and repent. He still has great plans for your life. God cares about the end point of your life. Just like a distance race,no one really focuses on the first few laps – it’s the last lap that counts! (Job 8:7 “Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be”). I encourage you today to rededicate your body to the Lord; your body is precious to Him. You are victorious and will overcome, don’t allow the enemy to lie to you.

Rededication of the flesh –prayers

Dear Lord,

I thank you for this time, I thank You for my life and that of my loved ones. Thank You for the gift of life; for it is by Your grace that You woke me up today. I do not take this for granted. Before I ask You for anything, I repent for my sins, for all the things I have done knowingly or unknowingly, have mercy Lord. I come before you with the area of sexual immorality; this is an area which I have been struggling with. Your word states in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, You are faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”. I pray Lord that You will purify me and make me righteous in Your sight. God, give me the strength to fight the desires of the flesh. Today, I rededicate my body to you as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship”). May my body be used in the way in which You ordained for it to be. Your word states that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies”). From this day on, I pray that this scripture will manifest in my life. Help me to be a good Christian sister and counsellor to other Christian women. Use my story as a testimony to others. Give me the wisdom to help other women who are also struggling in this area (James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you”). Thank you for answering my prayer. AMEN.

(If cohabiting or in a relationship)

I and my partner come before You with the issue of sexual immorality. Lord, this is an area which we are struggling with. It is our hearts desire to do things according to Your will, but are finding it hard to keep ourselves pure (Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”). We stand with You in agreement (Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.”) and ask You to help us with this matter. I pray Lord that You will help us to overcome the desires of the flesh. Today, we rededicate our bodies to You as a living sacrifice. Help us to be able to keep ourselves for marriage. Give us the grace, strength and self-control to remain pure. I pray that You will re-lay our foundation based on Your principles and may You be the centre of our relationship. Cover us in the precious blood of Jesus. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Pearl Sisters