If only you will believe – Part 2

Belief in the efficacy of God’s power to heal all kinds of sicknesses and diseases is the key that opens doors of solution for all sorts of ailments and afflictions. And this universal principle is not a respecter of persons, but favours as many as will abide by to it. If you will wholeheartedly believe in the supremacy of God’s power to heal all sicknesses and solve all problems, you will regardless of your inclination have your diseases cured and problems solved.

In the Bible context above, the woman with the issue of blood that defied all known medical and other solutions, suffered for twelve years, but as soon as she had an encounter with Jesus Christ and anchored her faith on the efficacy of God’s power to heal her, immediately the twelve years’ agony, woes, and misery disappeared. She came trembling and was determined to touch the helm of the Master’s garment, with full conviction that if she did, her problems would be no more. And according to her faith, it was done. Her faith, conviction and strong confidence in Jesus’ healing power, brought about her restoration. Thus, Christ bids her, ‘be in good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole.’

In other words, she was told to be calm, for her self-reliance in the efficacy of the healing power of Jesus had activated her deliverance. Faith is the instrument that brings restoration to man. Matt. 21: 21-22 says, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

There is no difficulty that could not be removed by proper application of faith. The promise says all things without exception that you will ask in prayer and believing you shall have it; it shall be done. And this was attested to in the course of raising from death the daughter of a certain ruler, who, upon discovering his daughter had died yet by faith appealed to Jesus to come and lay hand upon her, so she could live.

Matt. 9:18-19, 23-26 says, “While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.”

The ruler’s faith in God was clearly an evidential instrument that pulled the healing hand of God to raise his daughter from dead. The daughter of the ruler was clinically certified dead. And the ruler was not in doubt that his daughter had died. But he knew a man who turns impossibility to possibility and he believed if that man could lay his hand upon the daughter, the story would change. When he came to Jesus, he worshipped our Saviour to demonstrate his belief in His saving power. What about you? Will you also exhibit this kind of faith in God? All who believe God shall have everything made possible to them. God will not refuse to give heed to anyone who comes to Him with a strong sincere faith.

Matt. 15:21-28 says, “Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs, which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”

Unwavering confidence in God’s ability to cure will definitely bring sure relief to anybody, irrespective of his disposition. This Gentile woman of faith obtained her miracle in the Lord by believing. This woman troubled and worshipped the Lord and her faith and belief saw her through and her child was restored instantly. Big faith attracts big miracle. If there is anyone reading this message now, who is poised to demonstrate this kind of big faith, I am assuring that his faith will bring him a breakthrough in Jesus name.

Beloved, an undaunted faith is like a bright star, which cannot be overshadowed by darkness. The woman added perseverance to her faith and not letting go, until she had gotten what she desired. Nothing is so pleasing unto the Lord, than to see His people following Him with faith and determination, even when it seems He is withdrawing from them. When her trial couldn’t break her faith, the Lord answered and said unto her, ‘O woman, great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt.’ We may wait long for mercy, yet the hand of faith never knocked in vain at the door of heaven. Mercy is surely ours if we have but faith and patience to wait for it.

I don’t know what you are passing through, how many years you are in that agony or who is behind it, but what I am sure of is that if you can go to God in prayer with undeterred faith, He will meet you at the point of your need. It will cost you nothing but faith to obtain mercy from God. Have you a son, a daughter, grievously vexed with affliction, an unclean devil, a malicious devil, and being led captive? I want you to take a clue from the woman’s action and bring him/her by faith and prayer to Christ, Who alone is able to heal.

Wonderful Work Of God
Chinonso’s Confession
Continued from last week
AFTER Ekwensu-Aguleri and Caesar’s death, only three people were left in the gang. Due to the cruel torture, we again lost another member, leaving only Chinenyenwa and I. As we were waiting without hope of survival, I called Chinenyenwa one day, and reminded him that every other person has died, remaining two of us. I asked him, if there was any idea on how we could escape. He said no way, so I reasoned I should start praying. I prayed fervently, but was not taken seriously. Rather, they mockingly called me ‘thief Pastor,’ saying, “Is it now you will pray? Don’t waste your time, you won’t go anywhere.” But I ignored them and continued praying.

One particular night before Easter 2019, I prayed fervently and slept. I had a dream, where I saw a man in a navy blue suit with an apron over it. But I did not see the face very well. The man said, ‘young man, what did you say?’ I replied him, ‘what did you hear from me?’ He said it was like you said if you could come out from here, you will serve the living God and will not return to evil. I said, ‘Yes sir. If God can set me free from here, I will confess and shame the devil, then serve God with all my life. The man said, “you will come out” but I doubted him. The man left and as he was going, I asked if he was leaving me? Then he came back and sang this song, “You are blessed, you are the Chosen one, you are blessed, glory to be God.”

When I woke from that dream, I felt very strong and elated like one who was reassured of his freedom. A week after that dream encounter, the operatives came and called my name. I heard my name, but I pretended not to hear it because from experience, once you heard your name like that, the next thing would be to take you out of the cell and that was death. However, the caller came closer to the prison door and asked, ‘Are you not Chinonso Nwokolo? I said I am. He said, “others have died but you don’t want to die, okay, come out and go.” Fearing what might happen by this sudden call, I said: ‘No, I don’t want to go again.’ He shouted and said, “Come out and go.” I reluctantly came out putting on only boxers and singlet.

When I came out, I was told to search for my clothes and wear them. As I was doing this, one of the officials said my people came sometime ago and took my clothes, and that my IPO told them that I had died and gave them my clothes. So, they took my clothes, thinking I had died. Together with my picture, they buried the clothes. Thus, I had to go with only boxers and the singlet on me. As I was going with fear that I could be recalled, I kept looking back, until I passed through the three gates in State CID headquarters, and came out to the road. There was no money on me. I began to beg, and one man gave me N1000. To board a bus became problem, as no driver agreed to carry me because they thought I was mad.

Eventually, when I explained to a particular driver that I was just released from Angola Cell, the man shouted and said no one ever goes there and come out alive. It was this driver that took me to my village in Orlu. When we got home, he called out my people and they came out. All of them thought they were seeing a ghost and threw sand on me to confirm I was not a ghost. When they were convinced I was not dead, they embraced me and took me to the General Hospital at Okporo, where I was given two pints of blood and placed on drip. In fact, I couldn’t count the number of drips I took.

Surprisingly within one week in another dream, I again saw the man in suit before me and he was looking at me. I asked him what he wanted? He said, “Have you forgotten what you said?” I asked him what did I say? He asked where I came out from. I replied that I was coming from Angola 1 Cell. He asked what did I say there before I came out? I replied that I would serve the Lord. Then he said, “I’m waiting for you.” At that point, he turned and left. The dream looked very real, as if it was a physical discussion. So, I became confused and worried and from that junction, decided to fulfil my promise of serving the Lord. But since there was nothing I was doing in the village to keep body and soul together, I sold my phone and added it to the money my people gave me and came to Lagos. On getting to Lagos, I somehow attended The Lord’s Chosen vigil on a Friday, and lo and behold, the Pastor was singing the same song I heard in the dream, “you are blessed, you are the Chosen ones, you are blessed. Glory be to God.”

As I drew closer and looked at his face, I recognised him as the same man I saw in the dream with the same voice. Since that day, I decided to surrender my life to Christ and destroyed all the charms I acquired when I was into robbery.
Glory be to God.
Bro Chinonso Nwokolo.