Checkmate Episode 26 (By Adeyoola Ojemola)

 

Bisi drew Theresa into another long hug after Theresa had shared all that transpired between her and Bimbo, Mama T, the customer, and the Police. She also shared how God sent Daniella over as her guardian angel; how Joshua came into the picture; how Daniella is a practising lawyer; how they welcomed her into their home with love. 

 

 

Then Theresa shared the uneasiness and deep tension in Daniella and Joshua’s marriage, particularly how it has led her to bring the pregnant lawyer with her. Theresa shared how she perceives that God has great plans in bringing her into that home and how she got the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues!

By the time Theresa was done sharing, it was well over one hour. If only Bisi could draw her closer into herself as both silently cried for all the turmoil and were equally grateful for the breakthrough. 

 

Bisi started to pray.

 

‘Thank You, Father for reuniting Theresa and I together after months apart. We have both missed each other so much but we see how you have cared for us still. Thank You especially for making a way for Theresa’s deliverance from the enemy’s trap.

 

 It could have only been you. We appreciate You, God! 

 

Thank You for Daniella and her husband and for giving them a welcoming heart and willingness to be used by You. Thank You for the little one growing in her womb and the many plans You have for their home.

 

 

Bless them in return, Lord, with the perfection of Your will concerning them.

 

 

Thank You for baptising Theresa with the gift of speaking in tongues. She had longed for it and in Your wisdom, You gave her at just the right time. Glory to Your name.

 

In Jesus name, Amen!’

 

‘Good to see you, girl.’ Bisi said as she drew Theresa to sit closer by her. 

 

Bisi continued, ‘You know that though you were not speaking in tongues before, it doesn’t mean you were not filled with the Holy Spirit nor that you did not have other gifts from the Holy Spirit, right?’

 

 

Theresa, sat straight to look at her better, ‘I don’t understand what you mean, mummy’.

 

 

Bisi smiled and picked up the Bible on the living room table. She opened to 1 Corinthians 12 verses 7 to 11 and read it to her hearing. ‘Did you get what I just read? Speaking in Tongues is just one of the many other gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has many gifts and He gives us at His own discretion based on His will for our lives. 

 

He will not give you a gift that you will not appreciate and value. Neither will He like that you get His gift and leave it dormant. 

 

The gift of tongues is often considered as the greatest by many persons such that they forget that it is just one of many others. However, it is good that we have that gift and if we really want it, He will give it to us. 

 

What I am just saying, Theresa, is that you can desire more than the gift of speaking in tongues. 

 

In fact, Paul admonishes that it is good to have the gift of speaking in tongues but that if everybody will have a particular gift of the Holy Spirit, he desires it should be Prophesying. 

 

 

You can read that up in 1 Corinthians 14. Paul says it is much better than speaking in tongues.’, Bisi said and chuckled. 

 

 

‘But doesn’t that mean the ability to see hidden matters and speak about the future as in the prophets in the Bible?, Theresa asked in confusion.

 

 

‘Well, that could be one but Paul also defines prophesying to be the gift that enables encouragement, strengthening others and comforting them. In the New Testament, the goal of the Holy Spirit is to keep the Body of Christ as One.

 

 Hence through the gift of prophesying, the Church can stay as One just as the Trinity are One through encouragement, exchange of strength and comfort.

 

It is all in the same chapter. You know what, just take your time to study through 1st Corinthians chapters 12, 13, and 14. 

 

Anyway, I am glad that He has given you the gift just as you desired it.’ Bisi rubbed Theresa’s palm as she said that.  

 

 

‘So tell me, what’s next?’, Bisi asked. 

 

 

Theresa could not avoid the deep sign she gave. ‘Honestly, I don’t know. I have been praying and hoping for guidance. So… still waiting. But if anything, I guess I’ll go back to school if God wants that for me. It has been crossing my mind a lot of times these days.’ 

 

Bisi got up and gave a dramatic dance upon hearing that. ‘Now you are talking. I can’t count the number of times I have asked you about this. I am glad you are finally leaning in that direction. The Lord will make it clearer to you in Jesus name’.

 

‘Enough about me, mummy. Where did you say daddy went to again? Also, tell me about the mission field.’ 

 

Bisi laughed. ‘He has a meeting with my brother. He won’t be back until later in the evening. About the mission field… It was super amazing again. The area we went to has about eight clusters of villages but they all speak the same language.  We stayed in the biggest of them with about four hundred people making up the village. 

 

 

I made a number of friends among the women and I must say that God really is raising a generation of correct marriages in places we may not imagine. These people do have their own ways and culture but the message of the Cross and the marriage between Christ and His Church is beginning to shine in their hearts. Though foreign in their ears yet they are seeing the light in it.

 

I usually met with the women of these villages twice a week and I would tell them what the Bible teaches about God’s reality of a woman and His expectations for her in marriage, especially her submission to her husband. 

 

One thing I found is that the relationship between the Father and Jesus Christ is often the best means to teach submission in marriage. It was particularly clearer for me on this particular trip.

 

 

I won’t say it was all that easy. There were many antagonisms but the ones God has prepared their hearts, He drew them closer to Himself and they accepted His truth.

 

 

There’s one particular family I am so thankful for, the Chief’s family. Gee told me about how he started with them. Their culture has a low caste group and usually some of the women of this caste would become prostitutes just to survive, especially because no man wanted them as wives. 

 

Sometimes, they would bear children with no traceable fathers.

 

 

They weren’t particularly discriminated against but they weren’t considered honourable either. Their culture had no issue with prostitution. To know a prostitute’s house, it would have a leaf painting on its main door. 

 

 

When Gee started to live there with his language aid, Mr. Dimbar, it felt strange to see a married man leave his home to one of such houses, without secrecy. 

 

God orchestrated Gee to have an encounter with the chief’s wife when he went visiting. The wife mentioned that the chief had gone to one of such houses. It was an abomination to prostitute outside the prostitute’s house. 

 

 

Somehow, the chief’s wife opened up as to how hurt she feels that her husband would leave home to visit a prostitute. She didn’t sound like she was complaining. But there was some sadness hanging in her words. 

 

 

Graciously, the chief also arrived and settled to entertain his guests. Gee invited the chief over to his own lodge too with the promise to show him something incredible from the city. 

 

 

True enough, the chief came and they had such a wonderful time. In the process, the Holy Spirit aided Gee to speak their language without Mr. Dimbar. The chief saw my picture beside Gee’s bedside and he told him he could visit the prostitutes in any of the villages whenever he liked as long as he had a gift for them, particularly because I was not there with him. 

 

That was the breaking point for Gee to begin to share how hurtful such actions were to his wife. The chief confirmed his love for his wife but it is common knowledge that the tradition of visiting prostitutes was just a means to help those of those castes to earn a living. 

 

 

It was not an easy battle for Gee to win them over for the Lord and eventually eradicate such a practice to the glory of God. But we saw that God chose to deal with that difficult part of those people.

There truly is no hold of darkness that the light of Jesus by the Holy Spirit cannot penetrate.

 

Now amongst these people, prostitution is now by choice not out of tradition. They are more welcoming to give the women they considered lower caste farmlands for farming and opportunities to earn honest living for themselves.

 

 

Theresa thought that tradition was so bizarre. But then, there is nothing new under the heavens.

 

‘So are there low caste men?’ Theresa asked.

 

Bisi Ojo chuckled before she answered. ‘I also asked when Gee was telling me all about it. Sons born to these women are entitled to farmlands when they are of age. Female children with older brothers who can support them don’t continue but those with younger brothers must support them till they can stand on their own. How they support them is often by prostitution.

 

It is really tangled but I see how God has delivered them, completely from such a tradition. 

 

It just shows how Satan uses darkness to enslave a man with absurd things just because God’s light has not found a portal for entry. My dear, God needs more persons to raise portals. 

 

Many are in darkness but those with the light seem uninterested in shining the light in darkness. We simply want to outshine ourselves. May the Father raise more light bearers for Himself and His glory!

 

 

Theresa did not know when she signed deeply. 

 

‘You need not sign my dear. Not everyone is called to shine in the same place. We all can’t leave to shine elsewhere otherwise the light here will turn to darkness. But those whom the Lord has laid it upon their hearts yet are resistant are the ones who will answer to God for their actions.

 

Theresa then asked, ‘Where are you going next, mummy?’

 

‘Theresa… I’d tell you in time but this time around we will be leaving for a very long time. I will be going with Gee from the onset, not the usual on and off.’

 

‘Like a whole year?’

 

‘Hmnhmn… years…’

 

Theresa jumped up, from her seat. ‘Mummy?’ Her eyes were soon filled with so much tears.

 

‘You are the realest family I have known all my life, mummy. What will I do without you?’

 

‘My dear, it is the Lord’s will for us this time around that we follow this plan and we are completely sold out to His will… You don’t need us to achieve anything. It is the Lord you need for all of life and godliness. 

 

 

I understand, honestly, I do. But the Lord and His will comes first. We’ll be fools to keep what we can lose when we can give up all else to gain what is eternally ours, Theresa.’

 

Bisi stood up and hugged the crying Theresa. 

 

 

While all these transpired, Daniella had woken up and walked towards their voices. She heard when Bisi was sharing all that happened at their most recent mission trip till that moment. She could see Bisi and Theresa hugging and wondered what manner of relationship these two had. What kind of woman Bisi is? 

 

What stood out to her was her saying they were sold out to the Lord’s will. Bisi’s words hit Daniella with such pain that she had to hold her chest. She thought she was also such a woman but the recent events that surround Little-P are really questioning her faith in the Lord. 

 

Daniella knew deep within her that Joshua was not lying. God has a hand in it. She knows that on this particular matter, God will not confirm anything to her since He has given the instructions through Joshua and Joshua has delivered it as he received it.

 

 

‘I just can’t, God. I can’t. This is my child, my first child, You are requesting for.’ She said under her breath. 

 

 

At that very moment, she heard clearly in her ears, ‘But I gave Mine…’

 

Daniella almost lost her balance upon hearing that and she was about to crumble on her feet when Bisi Ojo came towards her direction. 

 

‘Oh you are awake, Beautiful. Do you need the rest room? Just head down that corridor.’

 

Daniella walked as fast as she could in that direction and as soon as she got in, she wept hard. All she kept saying was, ‘I can’t! I really can’t, God.’

 

 

 

Catch up on the last 25 Episodes here.

 

 

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Wheeeeew! 

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. Share your thoughts about this episode in the comment section.

 

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Checkmate Episode 27