*”STRUCK DOWN”*
*_EPISODE TWELVE_*
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Charity was relaxing in a beautiful and well looked-after garden. In her hands was a basket of fruits which she was about enjoying.
“What are you doing?” A voice behind her asked as soon as she was about having the first bite. Charity turned around to see who it was.
“Sir?” She asked when she saw he was an elderly man
“What are you doing here Charity, when you are needed at the workplace?” He asked calmly. Charity became confused.
“Workplace? What work again? I don’t understand. I’ve worked so hard to attain to this height and be able to harvest these numerous fruits I’m about enjoying.”
“You don’t eat in the middle of your labour dear. The fruit is best enjoyed after the labour is complete. Get back to work, you’re needed there.” The man said calmly. It was at that moment Charity got up from her sleep.
“Jesus….. I slept off.” She soliloquized as she looked around to find she was still at the hospital. She didn’t need anyone to tell her the work the elderly man in her dream was referring to was her intercessory prayers for Debby. After few minutes of resuming her aggressive intercessory prayers, Debby’s eyes popped open.
Charity was unaware Debby had regained consciousness until she felt a gentle tap on her shoulders.
“Debbyyyy! Debby you’re awake!” Charity said happily with a hug after quickly ending her prayers..
“I….can’t…breath.” Debby tiredly managed to whisper when the hug was becoming long and tight.
“Oh sorry. I was too excited I’ve forgotten you must be weak.” Charity said and giggled as Debby smiled. She sure has missed the ever cheerful Charity.
“Thank you. Your prayers saved me.” Debby said faintly with a smile.
“Thank God for grace not to give up, even when it felt prayers weren’t making much impact.” Charity responded as Debby smiled and laid back on the bed.
“She’s awake?” They heard Dr. Vincent’s voice asked from behind.
“Yes she is.” Charity responded in smiles and let him examine her.
“Hmmm…..she seems well and fine. From the look of things, her condition was more spiritual than physical.” He said and examined her further.
“Well, we thank God she’s finally awake, but she still has to stay here under our watch, just in case of any medical issue that could popped up.” He said but Charity objected.
“But Doctor, you just confirmed she’s fine. Why the need to keep her here again? Besides, she needs to come home and have more than enough rest, than staying here.”
“She might look like she has recovered but we still have to keep an eye on her, at least for today. By tomorrow she’d be discharged. Don’t worry about the hospital bills, that has been settled, if that’s why you’re objecting.” The Doc. said as Charity sighed and looked at Debby who stared speechlessly at her.
“Okay but please can I go now? I’m seriously famished and worn out. I need to rest.” Charity said and Dr. Vincent said she was free.
“Please don’t leave me here. I don’t want to pass the night alone.” Debby pleaded as soon as the doctor left the ward.
“No dear, I never said anything about leaving you here alone.
I’d go and return just before you know it.
I’d bring something for you too when I come back so you wouldn’t have to sleep on an empty stomach.
I’d be back in a few hours dear, I promise.” Charity assured like a mother does to her child when she’s about travelling.
“What time should I be expecting you? Like how soon? I don’t know, I’m just too scared t stay alone, I feel Chief would track me down here.” Debby said with fear in her eyes and voice as Charity smiled. She had no clue who Chief was or why she was scared of him, but she thought it wise to keep all the questions for later, when she’s more stable and strong.
“It’s 2pm now. I’d be back in 5hrs time.”
“Haa…. Charity 5hrs is too long o. I don’t know, can’t you sleep here instead? You can lie on the bed, I’ll stay on the chair till you wake up.” Debby said to the amusement of Charity.
“You should see your face begging me like a child. Chill now, okay in 4hrs I’ll be back.”
“Charity I’m not being dramatic, you don’t understand ni. I’m scared Chief may come here when he gets information from his witchcraft coven that I’m alive.”
“Chief would not come. This place has been charged up with prayers for hours now, so no one can step in here with an evil intention and succeed. God has not given you the spirit of fear, but of power, love and of a sound mind; so make use of the power and spirit he has given you and stop entertaining fear that has torment.” Charity said as her words felt like a charge to Debby’s spirit.
“Okay. I won’t be scared again.”
“Good. Before I go, let me get something for you to eat that you can hold on to till I’m back. What would you like to eat?”
“Anything you buy for me.”
“Anything like what?”
“I don’t know, maybe a drink and a snack like meatpie or fish roll, so they’d be more than enough space on my stomach for the food you’d bring.”
“Hmmm…..okay, I’m coming.”
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“What time is it already?” Charity said with a yawn as she finally put off the alarm she’s been snoozing for sometime now.
“Jesus! 6:30pm? God, I overslept.” Charity whispered as she rushed to the bathroom to take a quick bath before getting into the kitchen to warm the rice she cooked the previous day that she hasn’t touched yet.
“God! This is 7pm already. Debby would be so worried about me.” Charity whispered to herself as she dashed out of the house.
“Hey dear.” Charity greeted on walking into her ward.
“I’m so sorry I’m late. I slept off.” She said as she went to seat close to Debby who didn’t seem to be bothered or even panicking.
“I’m glad you’re here now. So what’s in there for me?” Debby asked referring to the nylon Charity was holding.
“Oh yeah. The food I promised to bring. Here, dig in.” Charity said and handed over the nylon to her.
“You’re not eating?” She asked when she had eaten a few spoons.
“Nah…..ate at home so my stomach is full. Would you like something to top it down with?”
“Lol…no thank you. I even remained the drink you bought for me sef.” Debby said.
An hour later, the hospital was powered by the generator as there was no light and night had fallen.
“What are you trying to do?” Debby asked as she noticed Charity shifting away from her.
“It’s pray O’Clock already and I want to pray.”
“Without me? Come on, let’s pray together. I want to pray and study the Bible too.” Debby said and Charity’s ears tingled like she had just heard some strange words.
“Really?”
“Yeah really.” Debby responded on a serious note.
Charity was amazed. She had just finished leading her to Christ and sharing Scriptures with her not too long ago, but she didn’t seem to be satisfied. She wanted more.
It’s surprising how circumstances change people’s thoughts and perspective about certain things.
“Please let me join you. I really want to know and discover the seed of greatness in me lying dormant and water it till it becomes a fruitful tree.” Debby pleaded after Charity had been silent for a while.
“Sure, why not?” Charity said as Debby smiled and happily went to where she was to sit at a corner with her.
Soon they commenced their little program. Beginning with an opening prayer and praise to God, they moved to reading the Bible and discussing insights gained from the scripture, Charity being the main speaker.
In an hour time they were done with their quiet time but Debby didn’t seem to want it to end. It felt like her spirit was too attached to the word of God that she urged Charity to give an extra 30mins so they can do more and also pray more.
The surprised Charity obliged, wondering what had come over her friend for her to suddenly want to spend more time with the Word.
“Let’s stop here dear,.we have to rest now so we can observe our vigil without sleepy eye.” Charity said as soon as the extra 30mins elapsed.
“Oh there’s vigil too? Thank God.” Debby rejoiced. Charity said nothing but just kept observing.
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Mrs. Eunice was worn out from the day’s work that she had just wanted to eat and sleep off.
She had closed very late that day and had spent over 30mins in traffic before she could get home.
By the time she was home, it was already 8:30pm.
She dropped everything she had come home with and went straight to the kitchen to serve herself.
As soon as she was done, she laid on her bed with her back with the intention to sleep but something in her obliged her to just read her Bible at least so she picked up her Bible to read.
Without giving it much thought, she read the book of Acts 9 where Saul was being arrested by Jesus on his way to Damascus to kill His people the Jews.
By the time she had gotten to the part where Ananias was sent to Paul, she slept off and woke up 8hours later with a puzzled mind.
“Ananias? Who’s Ananias?” She asked herself, recalling the dream she had just had.
She quickly reached out for her jotter and wrote down her dream, with the intention to pray over it and ask God to explain to her what the dream meant.
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It was 2am and Debby was wide awake.
They had observed their vigil and ended it an hour ago. Charity had slept off 30mins after prayers but Debby was no where close to dozing.It seemed sleep decided not to visit her that night.
She began to think about her life and how she opened her eyes and found herself in the hospital after her surprised encounter with Chief.
“I was so stupid to trust Fred, so stupid!” She said regrettably, blaming herself for moving into his house in the first place.
“Charity was right after all, she was so right.” She thought and looked up to the ceiling of her ward.
“God please, help me recover all I’ve lost. According to the prayers we prayed this night, it seems you’re the God of recovery and you’re an expert in restoring wasted years.
Help me Lord, to be all you want me to be.
You said there’s greatness in me; help me to discover and utilise it till it materialises. Please Lord, just help me.”
🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
Charity flagged down a cab which stopped and picked her and Debby
“Finally! I’m happy we’re leaving this hospital for good!” Debby said as soon as they got in.
“Yes o, me too. I’m glad I didn’t have to spend money on hospital bills. God bless Dr. Vincent for ruling out your bills because I didn’t plan spending a huge amount of money at once this season.” Charity replied.
Debby grew fast in faith in a couple of months. She was beginning to become even more prayerful than Charity and held more personal vigils.
She reconciled with her mother who had began to call her often.
One day, Charity brought out food from the kitchen for herself and Debby.
“Babe, won’t you eat?” She asked when Debby made not attempt to come take her share of the food she had brought.
“I’m fasting today, and would be ending in few hours time.” Debby said
“Fasting? But you just came out of fasting two days ago….abi you want to make fasting an everyday thing?”
“When you have the grace, you make use of it. I believe since fasting is becoming easier for me as I grow, I should practice more or something. Don’t you think?”
“Yeah yeah yeah. Well, pray for me too sha.” Charity said and went into thoughts.
“God, would you allow the okro tree to grow beyond the farmer’s reach? See this girl you never let me rest over, always asking me to intercede for her, now almost becoming my teacher when it comes to the things of God. Hmmmm……it is well.”
“I’m using her to teach you my word that says I can raise stones to praise me if the ones I’ve chosen choose to be silent.” A voice within her spoke and immediately her heart recalled a verse in the scripture when Jesus was riding on the donkey and the Pharisees asked him to tell them to be quiet.
“I’m teaching you humility by using you to raise a stone who’s going to be very passionate about me, so you can understand that anyone can be replaced by a stone if he remains complacent with my assignment for him.
If you observe very well, you find out that these stones I save really do the work better than the ones the work has been assigned to from the very beginning because they work harder, are much more humble and careful in their dealings with me.
So I don’t want you to get jealous over this stone I’ve placed in your care, I’d prefer you’d mellow down and be humble enough to get all the messages I’d pass across to you through her and her speedy love growth for me.” The voice continued and Charity stared at Debby for a while.
Hmmmmm…….I’ll not be replaced with stones in Jesus name.
I even think this is God’s way of making Charity more humble and killing the flesh of jealousy in her life.
©Princess Stories
!: *”STRUCK DOWN”*
*_EPISODE THIRTEEN_*
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Debby woke up from her dream with a gasp.
“What is it?” Charity who wasn’t really deep into sleep asked on hearing her voice.
“I just…..I just had a dream now.” She said. Charity managed to sit up so she could listen to her.
“So tell me, what was the dream about?”
“It’s about Chief. It’s a very confusing dream, I’m still trying to comprehend it.” Debby said. Charity kept quiet and waited patiently to hear the dream.
“In the dream I saw Chief chasing and running after me. It was a hot chase but luckily enough I escaped. I found myself on a tall tree, far from Chief’s reach. From up there, I could see Chief setting a trap for me at the foot of the tree.
As soon as he was done, he left and kept coming back occasionally to check if his trap had caught me.
Because I had seen what he had done, I didn’t come down. I was just watching what would happen.
All of a sudden, as he came to check the trap one time, it caught him instead. He was trapped in the trap he had set for me. At the sight of this I was meant to be happy that his trap had turned against him but that did not happen.
Instead my happiness was short-lived as I began to feel pity for him while watching him trying to set himself free from his trap.
“Help me” He said pleadingly when I got down from the tree only to see him in a cage. The trap had fully emerged into a strong cage.
That was when I woke up. I don’t understand the kind of dream I just had.” Debby said and turned to Charity like she was expecting an interpretation from her.
“Hmmm…..I don’t know why you’re staring at me like that o, because I’m as confused as you are…..but we’ll pray about it and ask God for interpretation of the dream.” Charity said and Debby nodded as they joined their hands in prayer before going back to sleep.
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It was a Sunday morning. Mama Eunice had gotten all dressed and ready to head to church. She was the head of the Sanctuary Keepers so she needed to be in church as early as possible.
After opening prayer by their head pastor, she went round the church to see to it that things were in order before the service for the day would commence.
At exactly 7:30am, service started and Mama Eunice stopped all she was doing to participate actively in the service especially in the Praise/Worship section because she had read in a book about how much God loves the praises of His people.
After a few minutes of deep worship and sincere praise, the Pastor came on to the pulpit to commence the preaching of the day.
“An Encounter with your Ananias.” He announced as the topic of his teaching. The topic struck a chord in Mama’s hear that she began to listen to the message carefully.
As soon as the service was over, she did her duties and went back home.
“Today’s preaching must be an answer to my prayer over the dream I had two nights ago.” She thought to herself as she opened her jotter to go over the preaching for the day
💌Your Ananias is the one assigned to help you on your spiritual journey
💌He or she is like a mentor…..the one assigned to guide your path when you don’t know your left from your right in the things of God.
💌When you don’t know the next step to take as a new creature in Christ, an Ananias is sent your way to guide you.
She kept reading from her jotter over and over again. As she kept doing this, her thoughts started going towards her daughter
“The last time I called, Charity informed me that she had repented and was no longer who she used to be.” She thought to herself.
“Now she’s new in the faith, she needs a mentor…..an Ananias to guide and follow her up so she wouldn’t backslide.” She figured and thought of who her mentor could be.
“My daughter needs a mentor Lord, her personal Ananias to stay and grow in faith. Father lead her to her Ananias, so she won’t lose this salvation she’s just had, in Jesus name.”
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Chief has been using the substance given to him as directed but it seemed not to be working
Everyone he has tried reaching out to didn’t give him a listening ear, despite the unfailing promise that they would.
Fred’s number wasn’t going through, and Debby had barred his line.
Things just weren’t working out as planned.
“Baba this thing isn’t working ” he complained to his priest when he called him over the phone.
“What?”
“The substance you gave me that’d make me get the girl at my fingertips is ineffective.
The man who initially hooked me up with the girl isn’t reachable anymore. The girl’s number herself isn’t reachable too.
I don’t know how I’d achieve my aim with all these roadblocks.”
“Hmmmm…..”
“Baba say something please, you’re not saying anything. What’s the way forward from here?”
“You have to go out of your way to look for her.”
“Look for her? Where do I start from with such mandate? I don’t even know her true house. Hmm….Baba that’d be difficult and very stressful.”
“Well, you have no choice other than to look for her, find her and repeat the ritual till it’s complete. Your complete wholeness depends on it, so it’s up to you.” Baba said sternly and cut the call.
“God! What have I gotten myself into?” Chief asked frustratingly and laid on his bed.
“Is something wrong?” Chief’s wife asked on walking into the room to find her husband with a sad facial expression.
“No nothing.”
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As soon as Baba dropped the call and was about returning to the day’s business, a voice spoke from within him.
“Remember not to make the mistake of helping him out in any way.
He’s an enemy just as the other victim is, so you’re to compound his problems instead of solving them.
“Well understood.”
No words…..
*_To be Continued…_*
©Princess Stories
