When a young man is ready to marry, he wants everything to be right, especially the relationship between his mom and his bride-to-be.  Most young men are apprehensive if they sense any tension between the 2 important women in their lives. That’s  exactly how Joe felt.

As an only son, his case seemed more sensitive. 
His mother had kept him by her side most of his childhood and teenage years.
All Joe really wants now is that his bride-to-be can manage the strong bond between him and his mom, but he didn’t know if she could. And it’s kind of unfair to pressure her into it.

Joe needed guidance. What would be the best strategy to bring these 2 women together? 
God led Joe to TWGO where he got an answer of peace.

When mothers worry about their son getting married it is because they’re afraid of losing their son’s love, attention and commitment.
Mothers tend to share strong bonds with their sons, more so if they have only one son.
Such fear, is most times taken away if the bride-to-be makes added effort to accommodate and accept the mother-in-law to be as she would her own Mom. She would need to lavish her with love, gifts and attention, without necessarily putting too much pressure on herself. These actions are important because they  assure the older woman that  her son won’t be lost, rather she can gain another love …from her daughter-in-law. 
Joe encouraged his bride-to-be to go the extra mile to accommodate his mom a bit. 

Few months ago, they were successfully married.  Joe’s  testimonies and joy have been  awesome. His mom and his fiancee, now wife, have become  best friends to the point that they sometimes forget Joe is around the house as they indulge  in their ‘womanly gists’  His mom also gave his wife a special pet name.

Praise God!

Lisa is in her early 50″s and a single mom. She lives in Ghana with her only daughter and child Becky. Becky is almost done with high school, she hopes to become a lawyer someday.

Lisa is looking forward to seeing Becky’s dream of becoming a lawyer fulfilled. But in recent times she’s had some concerns. She’s uncomfortable with the kind of association her teenage daughter has been keeping of late. These new group of friends seem to occupy most of Becky’s time. When they’re not in school, they’re out partying or visiting with another group of friends. Lisa became very troubled. These associations could ruin her daughter’s future. But the young lady doesn’t seem to see it that way. The more Lisa tried to caution Becky the farther she seemed to be driving her away and more towards her friends.
Lisa needed to talk with someone, and fast too.
She came across our online counselling group, Talk with Grace Obomanu, and she decided to drop a message asking her help.

First we needed to get Becky’s opinion on her mom’s concerns. So we put a call across to her, and it was a different story altogether.
Becky feels her mother is overbearing, wouldn’t let her socialize with her peers, wouldn’t let her visit them or them her. Becky said her mom shouts all the time and seldom listens to what she has to say.
Becky claims she makes efforts to stay away from her mom because of her behavior. She said she wishes her mom could be more understanding and friendly.

Apparently, daughter and child were seeing things from their own perspectives. Lisa doesn’t want to lose her only child to teenage deliquency and Becky doesn’t want to remain a baby forever.

This observation was communicated to both of them.

Becky was also thankful that TWGO intervened. She promised to be more understanding of her mom and to relate more with her to allay her fears. And Lisa accepted her mistakes promising to engage her daughter more rather than control her.
Their relationship would heal and become better.

Praise God!

As Erica listened to Hope narrate a horrifying experience of how a neighbour’s dog attacked and wounded an innocent child who was playing around their home, it dawned on her what great deliverance she’d experienced few weeks ago.

Dogs are not Erica’s favorite pet. She can barely stand them. On this blessed morning as she took a walk, she suddenly came face to face with 3 giant dogs who’d sighted her from a distance and ran towards her. Play or fight, these dogs didn’t look friendly. And she’s stranger to them. What does she do now? Run, shout or stand still? If she tried to run from them, they’d outrun her and possibly harm her. She stood still as they reached her. God must have under control, she thought.

Erica lived in a quiet serene neighborhood. It was still too early for anyone to be outside by 6.30am. Dogs don’t stroll casually and unattended within the estate, these ones must of sneaked out without their guards knowing. She started talking to the dogs, stroking their bodies. Was this the best reaction? Judging by the dogs incessant growling around her it may not be. Running away wasn’t either. Erica started shouting for help. But none came. She tried chasing the dogs away but they looked even more angry and dangerous. One, two, three, five minutes and more, the dogs were still around her, just moving around her and making angry sounds, also jumping around her. For some strange reasons, they didn’t bark, maybe that would have drawn some attention. But not today.

As Erica thought about how this could end up, fear took hold of her. She suddenly heard herself shout ‘JESUS’ and in that instant the 3 dogs walked away from her. 

What a deliverance?
Not even a scratch on her body.
Praise God!

Rita has been married for 17 years with 2 teenage children.
The last 5 years have been anything but beautiful for her. Her husband James has been abusive (physically and verbally), he stopped her from working, he wouldn’t do any work himself either. How do they eat? Family, friends, any form of goodwill. James claims he has a call from God and spends most of his time chasing people around to sow seed into his life.

Rita had tried many times to leave her marriage but he wouldn’t let her.  She didn’t know what to do. Life hasn’t been fair to her neither has God.
Then someone directed Rita to our online counselling group, Talk with Grace Obomanu (TWGO). Rita’s story began to change from then.  

A look at James’s family history revealed that his father was exactly as he is. He was abusive, lazy and irresponsible. So obviously James’s problem was more complicated than it seemed, it had familial roots.  This makes Rita’s case even more difficult, but God has a way. 

James needs to make a total mind and behavior change. But how do we reach him considering it’s Rita coming for help?

Rita would have to make a decision at this point about her marriage, to leave or to stay.
While leaving may seem the easier and more attractive option, Rita didn’t want her children growing up without their father.
Staying meant she needed to do more work, on herself as well as for James.

First she must identify the things she does that upset him at least to forestall further physical abuse. She must identify her weaknesses and strengths as well as James’s. With a personality like James’ it can be trouble flagging his weaknesses, at  least not at him. To get him to be more productive, his strengths have to be accentuated and he needs to be regularly reminded of them. That’s exactly what  Rita  did. She also  moved back into the bedroom she once shared with her husband. Additionally, she  resumed her wifely duties (not doing it for James but as unto The Lord).  She located her Bible wherever she tossed it. She must rebuild her relationship with God and trust Him to fix her marriage.

As nicely as these may sound, these are not easy changes. But are possible when you do them in God, when you understand that agape means loving the unlovable unconditionally.

Rita took up the challenge, made these drastic changes and within one week her testimony was different. Her husband has never been as happy, calm and loving as she sees him now. He’s told her to go search for another job and he’s going to do same. He suddenly seems to have brilliant business ideas too. They even now pray and plan together.
Rita is grateful to God and to the TWGO Team for intervening in her situation.
Praise God!

Mary is in her early 40’s.
Exactly 10 months ago, she had a terrible scare; her doctor told her she was hypertensive. Her blood pressure on repeated measurements was over 160/100.
She was admitted for a few days and monitored.

It would have been good news for Mary that her doctor was considering placing her on very low dose antihypertensives for a short time considering that she also recently received a course of steroids for another health condition. According to the doctor, steroids can raise blood pressure. 
But Mary was deeply concerned, her parents are hypertensive. Could this be familial?

As things turned out, Mary’s blood pressure normalized within one month. She was relieved and so was the doctor. And thinking it’s possibly the effects of the steroids had cleared, the doctor withdrew the antihypertensives.

Two months ago routine medical checkup revealed Mary’s blood pressure was about 170/110 again! 
Mary was distraught. What was she going to do now? She can’t possibly start taking antihypertensives from her 40s and for the rest of her life.

Tossing and turning over on her bed all night, sleep eluded her. What were her options? Drugs or God’s intervention? Can she give her professed faith a little push? Could God fix this for her? Mary prayed most of the night asking God to normalize her blood pressure. 
She remembered her covenant of healing with God and made a decision to believe God for a miraculous healing.

God honored Mary’s little faith. 
She heard in her spirit to make just one dietary change which she did. Within 3 days Mary’s blood pressure was back to normal as confirmed by another medical check. 
Result of Mary’s last BP check was 103/83. 
Praise God! 
……………………………………………..
As a Child of God, resist the temptation to approach difficult and challenging situations with fear and trembling. God will Always give an answer of peace; sit back calmly and listen for the wisdom or strategy to your victory.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(Romans 5:8 NKJV)

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. (I John 3:1 NKJV). 

For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. (I Thessalonians 4:7 NKJV). 

For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren. (Hebrews 2:11 NKJV). 

He chose us before the foundations of the earth. He loved us, just the way we were. He died to save us from sin and destruction, before we realized His existence. He picked us up from dirt, with dirt, cleaned us up, made us brand new, with new spirit, His spirit. Then He adopted us as sons and relinquished to us the rights and privileges of a son. Same privileges as the Only Begotten of the Father, who calls us brethren.

He doesn’t ever give up on us, because with each new day, like the greatest Goldsmith that He is, He judiciously and intentionally shapes, moulds and translates us to become like Him; in words, acts and thinking. 

What manner of Love is this?

Unconditional, boundless and endless love. 

Why do the heathen rage? Why does a dead man think he can threaten the living, threathen the one with God’s life in him? 

Who is the one who dares to make a pronouncement over God’s Chosen one? Who dares to speak when the Righteous One hasn’t spoken? 

Hold your peace Child, for their roar is empty. 

Hold your peace Child, for I am the One who chose a vineyard and planted you in it. 

Hold your peace Child, for your flourishing is in the place where I have planted you. Nobody dares to uproot where I Jehovah plants. 

Hold your peace, because these Egyptians you see today will be no more. These walls you see today will be no more. 

I am your Father and your God, I will defend you and uphold you with my right hand. 

Haven’t I said to you, that you are light, a reflection of my glory? I ask you, can I save light in a vessel to be hidden? 

Your rising is appearing and like light, it cannot be hidden. Because in you I have great treasure to reach many with my goodness. 

So hold your peace Child. Go to sleep. I am the One who personally fights your battles. Have you ever heard that I went to the battlefield and lost? 

I always win. And you always win in me. 

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Welcome back!

This is the 6th part of this blogpost series.

We have been looking at the composite parts of the Whole Armour of God as seen in Ephesians 6:11, 13-19;

“Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”  NKJV.

In the preceding parts, we have discussed; the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation,gird your waist with the truth and shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

Today, we’ll conclude this session of this series {that is ‘His Armour‘} by looking at the remaining 2 components;  the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit. In subsequent parts, we’ll look at ‘The Warfare‘ and ‘Our Weapons‘.

Take on the Shield of Faith

What does a Soldier need a shield for?……………

A soldier’s shield protects him by deflecting or intercepting missiles thrown at him. The shield is usually held in the hand or mounted on the wrist or forearm. So most shields are positioned in front of a soldier so as to provide good cover.

The dictionary defines ‘faith‘ as;  ‘a complete trust in someone or something‘. The Bible definition of faith as seen in Hebrews 11:1 is however different, it goes beyond trust and confidence and gives tangibility to faith. It tells us faith is a ‘substance‘ and an ‘evidence‘.

The way I understand it, an evidence substantiates a belief or claim. Therefore, the Bible is saying that faith is the physical reality of the Christian belief.

How so?…..

I gave my life to Jesus Christ several years ago, precisely, in 1993, just after graduation from high school. A few weeks ago I remembered some terrible ‘unchristian’ experiences I had in college, the kind of memories that make you sad.  Thank God for the Holy Spirit, He fixed me up, and reminded me those experiences weren’t in vain.  I am thankful for the strength and loss of innocence they’ve brought.

As I did the throwback on my Christian walk, one thing remained clear to me; it’s been a ‘faith-walk’ through and through. Everything I know about God is by faith. Everything I have accessed in God is by faith. Every miracle I’ve experienced in God has been birthed through faith. I got back up from my fallen state, by faith and I have lived victoriously everyday after, by faith.

That’s what faith is. Faith is the substance of our belief. Faith is living. Faith is Evidence! Faith is Seeing! Faith is Now!

I believe I am born again by confessing Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour,….. by faith, and everyday I see a new me manifesting. I believe in the baptism of the Holy Ghost,…. by faith, and as I ask the Father to pour His Spirit on me, I open my mouth and find I am actually speaking in other tongues. I believe I have been healed by the stripes of Jesus Christ,….. by faith, and as I maintain my confession and walk by the spirit of God, my healing manifests.

So how do we use faith as a shield?

Probably the best approach to answering this question is for us to remind ourselves; how it all started. How did we become born again and filled with the Holy Ghost? The last time we accessed divine healing for a health condition, how did it happen?

Notice anything peculiar to the kind of faith we’re discussing here? ….

There is always a preexisting undesirable situation or circumstance! 

You know, God displayed what I believe is the highest kind of faith in The Beginning {Genesis 1:1-3}.

A previously empty, chaotic, formless and dark earth, received light and became filled with beautiful forms through a magnificent display of faith by God! 

God simply spoke what He wanted into existence and changed the status quo for ever!

That’s how simple faith is.

Yes, I hear your question, ‘Grace, do you really mean that?’ Yes.

By simply saying what God says about a situation rather than what we feel about it. By proclaiming and maintain our Godly desires about a situation rather than what we see. By speaking, confessing and maintaining the truth of our belief irrespective of present or prevailing circumstances.

The truth always prevails. Halleluyah!

So it doesn’t really matter what missiles, darts, arrows the enemy throws at us {and they don’t stop coming}. What matters is how we react – accept it or knock it off (or quench it) by faith?

That’s how to use faith as a shield.

When I feel weak, I confess that I am strong. When there is no money in my pocket, I confess that I am rich. When strange symptoms pop up in my body, I confess that I am healed.  And I maintain my confession until my faith becomes tangible, a substance and an evidence. A reality!

Praise God.

The Sword of the Spirit

To help us fully appreciate this component of the Whole Armour of God, first, we must answer the question of; what a sword is to a soldier?

A sword is a bladed weapon intended for slashing or thrusting. A sword is usually, long, straight or slightly curved with sharp edge (s). A good soldier would have swordsmanship- proper use and handling of the sword, and maneuver it so as to slash or thrust as the need arises.

What is the Sword of the Spirit?

Well, Ephesians 6:17-18  tells us to use the Sword of the Spirit, tells us what the Sword of the Spirit is, and how to use it.

“…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…”  (NKJV).

And according to Hebrews 4:12, the Word of God is sharper than any known sword….

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”       NKJV

As we see, the Word of God is both a part of the Whole Armour of God (as the Sword of the Spirit) as well as a Weapon of Warfare {we’ll be discussing this further}. The word can slash, thrust and reach deeper than any known sword.

But of what use is the Word of God if we don’t use it? And how do we use the Sword of the Spirit?……….

By basing our Prayer and Supplication on the Word. By praying always in the Spirit, in patience and perseverance.

Friends and brethren, as we conclude our study on the Whole Armour of God, it is very obvious that the purpose for the Whole Armour of God is to make us prepared, immovable and victorious in the day of trouble. Therefore to successfully resist and stand our ground in time of danger, we must proactively and consciously be kitted in this armour always.

Let us always remember that our citizenship is of Heaven, we are born of God, we have His genes and our experiences should reflect same as we live in the awareness of our rights and privileges. We are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, sin has no power over us and where there is no sin, there is no charge or penalty. Let us stay reminded that God’s word is the truth over our affairs. And so let us always proclaim this truth, testify of this truth so as to gain victory at all times.

Thank you so much for staying with me to the end of this session of the series. I appreciate all your feedback and thank God for the opportunity to share His word. It’s been quite refreshing and a tremendous blessing doing this study 🙂

Shalom and my love always.