After I had that experience, I stopped being part of anything in church. I hardly went to church and when I did, it was more like war. Everything was meaningless, was like something died in me. Years passed, Christ became my enemy. Couldn't stand anyone talk about him to me. It didn't matter if mum preached about him all day, I just blocked all efforts to get me close to God.

Bitterness, anger creeped in, I had no feelings for anything or anyone. It was like my heart wasn't part of my body. I sought revenge on anyone who hurt me, started looking for higher powers, for some reason, I don't know why I never got it.

Depression won't be termed as the culprit cos I did well in my career. But something was missing. Then I stumbled on a book by Joyce Meyer where she talked about forgiveness but I didn't really have enemies just that isolation helped me stay away from people. Forgiveness wasn't just about the other people, it is about me. I studied this book religiously, then came the tears, I was broken, nothing consoled me. I took to TBN but that didn't help. Then the hunger for a church came on me (haven't attended church in 3yrs) . I wanted to be amongst people who worshiped God but the small voice in my head kept telling not to waste my time. Couple of times I tried going but something kept stopping me. The struggle came again, these entities kept pushing me back and forth, didn't know which voice to listen to.

One Sunday morning, as I was cleaning my apartment. I stumbled on a CD a friend gave me years back which I never bothered to listen to. That morning the preacher was talking about faith, how most people wouldn't give it up all to God, how people still had plan B even when God had said its impossible to please Him without faith. I wonder how that affected me. As I continued to listen, He talked about David and Goliath, I don't think I have understood that story as well as I did that morning.( I know I have read it in my story books as a child) Davids faith was over the roof and being a little boy, even Saul doubted his ability to defeat Goliath. Am sure he must have seen him as a sacrificial lamb. Even the amour of war was even a burden to him. He had absolute faith. I read through that story that day repeatedly. Then I found myself praying, songs followed, there was something wired about that room, there was a presence, something strong, my legs got weak so I laid down in my sitting room and continued to worship, I was emotional, it was like nothing was enough to worship, my entire being wasn't just mine. Overwhelmed is the word! By the time I got up, I have worshiped for 3hrs!! And I realised I got the gift, I could speak in tongues!! Yea!!!!!! But how could that be if I didn't give my life again to Christ? I didn't understand it. I become so hungry for the word so I came across 1cor 1:6-31. That was it. That peace came, followed by joy, followed by breakthroughs. My life was never the same. I started burning with Passion for Christ, my parents were even surprised.
He took me at his own time and turned this strong headed person around. All the bitterness were gone. This time I WAS truly FREE. I didn't have to force it, He did it when it pleased him and in my own very apartment!!

This is the story of how MERCY found me. I struggled, fought Him, rebelled but He knows His sheep. I wish I had know this JESUS earlier than now. But his Grace is still sufficient.

esere826: Me: *picks a glass o beer to drink and cool off while waiting for the story continuation from my brethrens**
A brother sees me: "Brother Esere826, Jeez!! u'r drinking alcohol. I will tell pastor for you ehn ehn"
Me: *face turns crimson red* "em no oooo. na water juice. Taste am naw, if u think say na lie I dey lie"

The confession of Esere! Pls what's the meaning of Esere?

Sunymoore: Almost here is my story
was taking a shorth cut home recently
beside a burial ground in the evening.
some guy was coming behind me and
suddenly turned back and started
running, i immediately turned and
wondering if there`s danger ahead i also
started running after him. then he
started shouting ghost! ghost!! ghost!!!
just then i increased my speed to Gear 5.
two other men and one Lady that had
also joined that short path quickly took to
their heels and was also shouting. we all
ran out into the major road and where
panting as people gathered. people
curiously asked what exactly is the
matter and none of us responded until
the guy right behind me as first broke
the silence by saying that he did not see
me when he joined the pathway so when
he sighted me in his front, he then
thought i was a GHOST.

Lwkmd!!! This is so hilarious!

sushieater: Yup, i've seen Madam Koi-Koi

ROTFL! Even bush baby sef!!

Miss Ope: Seriously some guys here are stupid and so silly....Y are u actually using panadol for someone else's headache......i said i cheated on my guy thrice but because he loves me and knows what he wants he still begged to have me back....yet some of u said i am fetish,,,God knows i dont use Jazz..
Some say na MUMU...i wonder how a mumu can be a leader all thru his life..
Some say because he's fucking me dat he'll use me and dump ..i laff @ ur stupidity....becos i am a virgin...
Well all said and done.....I have told u before and i'll repeat it again majority of u tink Guys are the ones who are allowed to cheat and get away with it but becos am a lady.....i am d one who is fetish,,proud,,,,a gold digger and watever....
Let he who is without sin cast the stone or better still Take a ride down to helll.....if u're so bothered bout me.

The society is so biased that whoever had a boyfriend must have slept with all of'em. There is something we call " sex free r/ship! Not all relationships end up in bed. Get it straight people and stop make unnecessary assumptions. My dear,No mind them jare but please, always date one at a time. A broken heart is worse than being beaten. Always consider that.

Esere, pls throw more light on this slaying in the spirit abi falling under anoithing. The bible says we shall receive power! And not fall at the appearance of power.
I really don't get. What really causes this experience? Is it our emotions or imaginations?


Waiting for that ur unusual wisdom! Oya, answer!

sureboy1:

i pity u...you no go understand wetin dey now, until u don marry. na u go begin dey fast & pray begging him then...check the meaning of pretence & deceit in ur dictionary.

Seriously, what's the problem? Is what she did in any way equivalent to the amount of cheating men carry out on daily bases and yet justify it?. Is it in any way measured to how men continuously ridicule and maltreat women, yet they take'em back?

This bitterness and name calling is because a lady did it to a man and every guy is crucifying her. I don't support what she did but 95% of men on this thread have done it repeatedly and find nothing wrong with it. Infact, they expect the ladies to accept such attitudes. R we going to count how many men who still hold a place in their ladies heart despite the fact that he cheated and maltreated them? What's the difference here? Is it because a woman took the game outta ur court? The comments on this issue is just heavily biased.

jackydon: Can i find love here?

Love is found in REAL life setting, not here or online. Be wise.

@post, men are really insecured, see all the hate for women all over this thread yet they can't do without them. Ladies talk about what the did for men, u guys ridicule them. Another talks about how she dealt with a guy, all of una dey abuse am. Wetin really be una wahala?

Sonye: The silliest thing i've done for a man is running all over lagos in bike to drop his cv with companies, speaking to everyone about him and handing over his cvs to my dad's friends (even as I did not have a job), and even applying for jobs online for him. when he finally got into MTN engineering, he bought himself a lovely jeep and all of a sudden felt i was not good enough for him. trust me once bitten, twice shy.

I moved to London and started dating this sonofabitch who really wanted to marry to legalize his stay and begged me to hook him up with any of my friends that are citizens and I said capital NO, that he has to go sort himself out. the guy just stopped calling me. good riddance. I learnt the hard way n no man will ever see my good sides again

Gbam!

naenae sosa: Secondary schoool came and went,I had learnt self defence mechanism against my inferiority complex such as being a bully,being a bad guy and a rebel..Techniques I got from wtchin american high school movies and rap music.
University came and by then God had blessed my family,so I found myself in d bigboy league..had a car,travelled regularly,had a bevy of girls and my academics was on point..I was supposed to be happy at dis point cos I never thot it could happen to me but I couldn't shake dis emptiness in me and I realised at that point my soul was daamaged

OMG! where have I been? Keep'em coming!! @Esere, this NL is too small for what u got in that big head of urs . More of this kinda thread.

esere826: aba Graciuos10. where's the rest part of your interesting story naw?

your baptism story is particularly funny

LOL, got to make some money. Well am back now.
SU continued.

SU experience was interesting. The message of repentance rang through the entire lecture hall every service day. I observed that most followers wanted to be among Christians or wanted a kind of protection. The title of born again was for the pure and clean although I knew most of them weren't. If u r identified as not being part any religious group, u are a sinner. Then it was SU, SCM and the catholic charismatic.

For some reason, I was seeking for something although I joked about it. As I continued to attend meetings, I observed that within the group of SUs, there was another group of groups. The most sanctified I guess and there was an obvious separation. Again at one of the meetings, I gave my life again to Christ but this time, I felt a turmoil. I had questions I needed answers to but these young people were not knowledgeable to answer such questions.

I followed the crowd, joined the prayer group. Then my encounter with the man who always appeared during my prayers, explained this to the SU president. She confirmed it was the lord who appeared to me. Hmmmm, the lord in suit?

Shouldn't he be wearing a white robe? Didn't continue with my quest so kept it to myself. Was I seeing a vision or was that an imagination of my thought.
My main issue was that I wanted to see this JESUS one on one, I wanted to see him to Belive.
At one of the prayer meetings, I observed a sister would prophesy, step out side for a while, return and prophesy again. This she did 3times and the 3rd time, I sneaked out to see who was her giving her infos, well didn't see a thing than someone staring into space. Prayer meeting ended with people rolling on the floor, crying, speaking in tongues, some even claimed the holyspirit flogged them and had marks to show for it.

Hmmmmm flogging Ke? Was this a religion of punishments or joy? I sought the leader for answers and she claimed it was for correction. But what happened to the bible and the preachers? At this point, my bible was just for decoration, didn't even read it except for memory verses forced into my brain by my mum! There was something about studying this bible that got me so weak, couldn't stand reading it without drooling on it.

I had my doubt from Genesis to Revelation. who wrote these books? But I loved the book of songs of Solomon, I read it like my numerous novels. The guy was just too much . Then I thought, how could God allow such filth in his book? Oh well, mum explained it as God describing his love for us. Never really got around that till date.

After being in the bondage of covering up, I got a perm at 20,was tired of that virgin hair. Had my ears pierced. Mum went crazy, whatever u put on ur hair is from marine world, weave, earring,lipstick etc are from marine world as well. Told her that God has set me free from bondage, why should I continue to dress like a clown? Hehehehe.. my mama no gree as she even dragged me to involuntarily deliverance cos I had a perm, the pastor so pushed me that I almost had a stiff neck, I had to politely tell him he was actually inflicting injury on me cos me I no go fall down! It didnt go down well with him but he let me go. Am free again, ran back to school to continue the work of God.

I stayed with SU but haven't been able to tell anyone of this JESUS, I didn't even know if I was born again. Joined different groups yet I still felt empty. Wasn't worried of sin cos I was still self righteous. But I could "Kabbash" as in pray for hours.

Oh that preacher came with the message of being filled with the spirit.
"And Ye shall receive power when the holyghost comes upon you" Power Ke? People always roll on the floor whenever u hear "Holyspirit move" many kept falling and standing, I wondered if there wasn't a limit to the number of times you get to land on the floor. These things didn't interest me since I saw them as acrobatic display. Then came the tongue speakers, I was very sure I understood what one of them said. She was speaking my dialect!! Tongues wasn't meant to be understood. I went closer, she was speaking my dialect, then the preacher spotted me being curious, asked if I spoke in tongues, I said no! He asked me to focus on Jesus, I haven't seen this Jesus, what's the kind of picture I should have in my head? Well I kept saying Jesus repeatedly yet the tongues didn't come. I was sent back on the grounds that I wasn't ready. Disappointed, I went back to my oche..

Then my younger sis came home with this authentic tongues, I know she never liked this churchy thing. She wasn't just speaking in tongues but those authentic big big ones. kai! I was jealous so I asked her and she told me she learnt it. Hmmmmm, sorry, I don't want to grieve the holyspirit so I declined her offer to coach me, atleast SU taught me it was a gift from the holyspirit and consequences of not receiving it from him.

I went into fasting just to receive this gift, after that I decided to try the SCM during their revival meeting. I felt this wave/weakness pass thru me, I become emotional, didn't even know why I cried, oh no! I don't want to hit the floor, not here, not before this crowd. I was fighting whatever it is that was fighting me. The floor was giving way, something was overpowering me but not without a fight, didn't see anything. Suddenly there was calm. Opened my eyes to see I was on the floor! Haba! Me? I was so ashamed and walked outta the meeting. Never went there again.
That was the end of that churchy thing. I stayed away. Didn't like what happened to me at that meeting. The quest for more ended there.

To be continued.

esere826:

Had same pressure for baptism from my mum. As far as my mum was concerened, she needed to do her bit so that if me an am stand before God during judgement I no go tok say my mama no lead me to baptism

Also, my water baptism was quite interesting

As my tall lanky teenage frame towered accross the pastor
threatening to tip over and drown him
He looked at me befuddled, stepped back to a safe distanceo
and screamed "Jump"

I was equally confused and looked around
what next I thought?
He jumped or stretched and pushed me from the back of my head
and I splashed into the water face forward
I hurriedly gasped for my breadth and escaped from the water

We all looked at ourselves, mum, dad, pastors co-baptizees
This was not baptism as we knew it.
You were supposed to be laid to rest backwards
and raised back upwards from the water

The pastor shrugged, and smiled to cover his embarrasment
"Neeeeeeeeeeext" he screamed

Rotflmao* yours was more hilarious than mine. All thee pre-xtians.

Wait a minute! R u implying that Abraham had a "plan B" before he obeyed God? Knowing he had ishmael. Whatever happened to the faith?

esere826: make una come tok una tory oooooooooo

This is not fair naw. I don tok my own, una no gree tok una own

Here goes mine. ( not a good writer)

Being born into a Christian home, everything was about bibles and fasting, prayers. Nothing mattered than God. Night devotions and early morning devotions, how I hated them. I wondered if this God didn't see how little I was than put all these pressures of Christianity on me.

At 11yrs, mum will send us out on evangelism and honestly, I didn't even know what was being said or to whom, I just followed, sometimes I stayed back at the sinner place and played.

Oh my mum, very very strict. Never heard her say a curse word till date. She kept reminding us of how Hell fire was real and terrible. Everyday she preached of Jesus coming, a terrible war that will follow and most importantly, the mark of "666". That part always got me scared.

A day came and they showed the movie "burning hell" I think I cried throughout the movie. Had the worst nightmare that night as I dreamt of myself going to Hell, it was terrible. Then I was 16. I had cried and shouted that everyone woke up at the sound of my cries. I woke up and saw my parents, told them my dream, and mum asked, do u want Jesus?.oh I gladly accepted him.( who wan go Hell )That same evening I went evangelising without prior push from mum.

I was on fire! Everyone must repent, started leading a little group of youth, the thing even entered deliverance and yes I didn't even know what I was doing. But whatever it was,was so fiery. what I saw couldn't leave my memory. Oh we have had lots of young evangelists say 12-17yrs old visit my church then Before now, I didn't even care about them but when I caught this fire abi fever, they identified with me. Who says a man's fire doesn't make ways for him? , Now I don't know if I was doing this cos I was scared or cos I really got "born-again". It wasn't too Long before that question was answered. The fire went down! I was free, free from the thought and fever of Hell.

My little group went astray, I really didn't care. I preferred to stay in school than hear my mum call me a backsliden giant.
Then I joined SU, not that I was interested in that they said, I just liked their programs where people were being delivered or prophecies were given. It was such an enjoyable free movie to watch. I never missed their services as I found them interesting.

Back home, I was being pressured in having an immersion baptism. It was huge war. I didn't even understand what i was being baptized for. Well I did go for the baptism but thank God I came out alive, cos the yeye water carry me dey go and the pastor baptizing me was so skinny, couldn't even swim nor hold me. It wasn't a nice experience as I drank enough water for 1yr. Dad never bothered me over baptism again.

Will continue my SU experience when I come back.

esere826:

Excellent question. Excellent question

remember i talked about 'growing' a discerning spirit right?
So the question then becomes "how do u know God's desire/command towards you"?
Also remember the scripture saying that "we should test the spirit"

Remember Jesus was ministered to by satan using the scriptures (Satan even try sef, because he knew to use the scripture on the deepest God given desires of Jesus)


Obedience to God?
Firstly, what exactly is 'obedience'?

-So is it what Pastor Emeka says, that is God's command/desire towards us? are we sure that he heard from God? so God rather talks through pastor Emeka than through you abi?
-Did we personally hear directly from God? was it a clear human like voice or a pull/push inside?
-Did this 'push/pull' thing ever tell you to stay in front of a moving truck, and that by faith, the truck will not crush you etc? Did u do it?
-Have you found a 'unique' way of seperating God from things that have the 'appearance of God'

(while some are pondering these questions, something might come up from inside saying "wait a minute. Is this not how through questioning that the serpent decieved Eve?)
(yep sure. Adam and Eve should probably have questioned God personally and rigorously instead of simply trying to obey, then later falling for the stories of the serpent)

If he has called us friends, lovers, sons or daughters, do we know what this really, really, really means?
I have said NO to my earthly parents a lot of times. what they've done was to try to convince me otherwise, and me try convince them otherwise.
Somethimes we found out that we want the same thing through such arguements. The only challenge was the packaging of the information


He has given to each his talent according to their abilities. God gave me the ability to like fine classy women well well. He has given some women the ability to kiss frogs and turn them into princes. I am satisfied and content with my own talent o

So if God insists that u marry one eyed ugly woman with reasons, will u still still say No? Since he knows better than us? Are u not afraid of the consequences? Abi, u go disagree with reasons as well?

Elaborate on the issue of Adam and Eves disobedience. It's really interesting that u can set up a dialogue with God.

esere826: @Gracious10
I guess that the point i am trying to make is that we must talk to God directly
No tradition, pastor, fear, nak.edness, sin, advice, "he too big we too small" etc should stop us from doing this

In fact, it is sometimes adviseable to talk to God like ones mate. Because when you start doing all those baba, egbon, creator of heaven and earth (he his already, ur saying it does not change it) we might end up in a fearful state with him and block our total experience

This i feel was the gospel that Jesus symbolised. That the 'word' (which created all) became flesh starting even from a baby whose bum had to be wiped; and dwelled with us...
I for yell emanuel!!.. but them go fit tok say i be that prophet pikin



If the God who (if we are to use human language and measurements) is bigger than the entire universe could bend down (so to to speak) to create us with brains and describe us as his image. Then we must be very important enough for him to want to discuss with us

And such a mighty being must definitely have the answer to all things. abi?

Hmmmmm, I like this! BRB with my questions.* still pondering*

esere826: you enjoy your calling

Many years after getting born again
my childhood toughts that if I completely yielded to God,
he could send me off to be slaugthered and
he could give me a one-eyed wowo viilage girl (sorry if this offends anyone) as a wife still haunted me

I had to confront this fear head on
I cant remember when exactly, but I soon received a new revelation on this
From meditating on the bible i saw many pointers

the one that I still remember clearly was Ezekiel 4
God told the prophet to lie on his side
on the streets of israel for about 430 days
and this, Ezekiel did

At my first glance, it seemed like a punishment (na punishment sha, no be 'seems' )
Then, I realised that as tough as it looks (and it was),
he could only have done it with abilities bestowed by God

in order words, Ezekiel would have enjoyed doing it , or have been given the ability to do it
although spectators would have seen him as suffering
(in fact, the thing Ezekiel didnt enjoy doing, he told God straight up. And God let him be)

Eureka!!!!!!
I do not enjoy marrying a one-eyed wowo vilage girl,
... that is to say God no give me that ability
but i actually don't mind dieing for a cause that I believe in

whew!!! more peace

**sad that I am talking like this about someones beauty. It is wrong (not a sin). Please forgive me if you feel offended. It's just that, it has always thuged at me since childhood**

Hia! What happened to obedience to God? If God gave Ezekiel that ability, do u think he won't give u the ability to live with a one-eyed ugly village woman? Your write-up is really interesting. I will read through them again to satisfy my curiosity of where u really stand.

gunners160: @gracious i hope u hv seen d ans i gave 2 d points u made

I don see am. But I still Belive the babe na angel. She's really nice and with a great conscience.

blink182: Poster you should be happy now, please what nationality is she cos she definitely aint Nigerian.

What do u mean she ain't naija? I don't ask for money yet I be correct naija babe. Any money conscious woman needs to fix herself before she goes looking for tips from men. Correct ladies don't roll like that.

Vikin:

Exactly my thought, maybe he copied the account no. From her tally book!

LOL, maybe. men can go far to prove love especially when the lady is very proud of herself. He must have copied it.. hehehehe

gunners160: my own is nt abt d ladi kolectin money or nt 4rm d guy but d silly excuses she made.IT wuld 2 mk d rlship 2 b strong.hw kan rejectin of money mk a rlship 2 bstrong?if she dnt want money y nt tel d guy 4rm d 1st day e sent d money dat luk o i dnt want stop it. y nw?a ladi dat love a guy wuld always appretiate d lit gift she recieves 4rm d guy wit a big THANK U

Nah, I disagree with u! Really not taking money from the guy will make the r/ship stronger.

1. Guys feels that giving money, gifts makes a lady attracted to them or focused on them. This lady says no cos she wants to love him regardless of money and gifts and she wan use clear eye make her decisions.

2. This ladies decisions on being with this guy depends on the person involved and not what he's got to offer, I will say this Gurl is principled by not allowing material things to be- cloud her judgement and will it make them stronger? Oh yes!! Shes my kind of woman.

And about her taking the previous gifts, you know some people can't accept the truth. If this Gurl had said no before now, this guy would still be making this kind of suspicion. Sometimes, u watch the trend of things before u make a move. They guy would have said she's too proud not to take gifts from him.
Maybe this guy is even over doing it and she sees it as if he's buying her love and any responsible woman will question such action. And as we all know, when r/ships break, men get hurt for what they spent from their pockets not their hearts. It's better the lines are drawn so that everyone knows and understands the focus of that r/ship. As una can see, money doesn't really love in r/ship. Kudos to that babe for standing out from the crowd. We still make such respectable women. Not every woman is looking for ur pocket. I personally would like to meet her.

Woman collect money, una go cry. She no collect, una go still cry! Wetin be una problem sef?

My dad will call this one ozu nwa bekee! U lift him up, he'il say no no no, you bring him down, he will still say no no no. Abi what do we do?

k2039:

I told her she cant force a guy to love her,it's only going to get worse,if he doesnt come after you,then it's either you go back o pray and ask for direction or you move on.

But how can God show u the " WILL" and not inform the other person about this will? I really don't get this! Is God now an author of confusion or are these people hearing from themselves?

Vogue50: the immunity clause has provided a platform for state governor's to go ahead and do all manner of crimes and go scot-free , assaulting citizens , exhibiting high level of impunity while disobeying constituted rules .
There are other penalties like dismissing him from service if found guilty of neglecting his obligation's as a staff of PHCN. They should stop taken law's into their own hands.

If he dismisses him, will it stop the rest from doing the same? PHCN derives bribe from switching off that their epileptic power post so everywhere will be filled with carbon monoxide fumes. For once, flogging should be imbibed into Nigerian law.

Abbott: Not that PHCN staffs/managers are absolved of complicity in Nigeria's electricity retrogression, but flogging a man, to pulp, is just unreasonable, barbaric, savage and animalistic of the governor and it further reinforces the stereotype of the Hausa ethnic *not all though, that is why it s a stereotype* as unthinking savages with herd instinct.
What a goat!

Although what he did was wrong but its about time someone taught those PHCN guys a lesson.
Nigeria should add this action in their constitution, any law man seen committing crime or committed whatever should be flogged unclad in public , I mean flogged 200 bulalah of cane. I bet u, things go definitely change.

esere826:

et tu Gracious10?

Huh?

More before I start sharing mine.

bid4rich: That number 4 na wa o, sometimes its not being said with seriousness. I love you ke! Some ladies will not say it rather what they want is what you have in your pocket

You guys must have been meeting the wrong women. Some ladies are so principled that what u got in ur pocket is secondary. If u score zero in ur character and attitude, ur pocket worth nothing!! Learn to differentiate "Real" women from "gold diggers"! Enough of the generalization already.

Broken things are better left broken. It's hard to mend them, they will never be the same.

Always avoid break-ups, they will always leave a vacuum that can't be filled.

Babycake: How do i explain this:
The girl who happen to be the PERFECT WILL of God for me is not just interested in me.
We've been on&off for years....No visit from her.No call to just say hello.We only meet at eateries.
Friends and family have advised me to do away with her because it's VERY obvious the Girl did not like me.....and yet She's the will of God for me.

NB:We are both xtian.

LOL. That must be Hell of a "will" ! Really never belived that. I just didn't marry men who claimed to be Gods will for me. It will be nice if u can explain how u came about her being the will of God for you.

I believe I have lost the will of God for my life in marriage cos I was too picky. My question is, is there a second perfect will of God or does that come just once in a life time?

Republicans will never accept defeat. Now Sarah Palin is making my ears tingle on fox news. This woman knows nothing about foreign policy.