Sometimes ago, I was invited to minister in a church. I went alone for certain reasons and on getting there, the program didn’t start until an hour later.

The time they told me was not the time they started, it felt somehow sitting alone there and watching members come in one after the other.

I sent a message to the church admin who had been communicating with me from day one to keep him aware of my presence, I got no response.

There was no concise organisation or anything, honestly I felt bad.

The program started and I had thought ,as the usual practice in every church I have gone to minister,  that there would be a time to recognize the invited ministers and those stuff but it never happened. 

The moderator just called the first guest singer up for her ministration.

I thought that was all until the brother announced, ‘if you are a guest artist here, please go and line up at the office there to register your name. If you do not register your name, don’t blame me if you eventually didn’t minister o’.

I was like what the heck!

This church called me on their own, I  didn’t beg to come,  they were even begging as regards the honorarium because it was really small and not on the range of what I collect in other places , I’ve been here and nobody cared if I got a seat or not and now I have to go and line up and register my name before I sing, Jeez. I was upset.

The church is an uncompleted building, no window or door, even the floor and walls are not plastered, so it’s not a function of maybe because it’s a big church and their invited ministers were up to fifty.

I felt insulted really.

I used to think I am very humble until that day. I just wanted to carry my bag and leave. After all, nobody knew I was there.

Well, I made up my mind I wasn’t going to write any name, good for them if I wasn’t called forth to minister.

Then the Holy Spirit spoke,  ‘do you value your ego more than my assignment? Which is more important right now, your ego or the souls I have sent you to, tonight ‘.

Brethren, honestly it wasn’t easy, but who am I to place my ego above the call.
Still angry, I went and put down my name. I felt my whole ego deflated.

I sat at the far back.

I forgot the whole scenario and the feeling disappeared  as I joined in praising God while the first minister sang.

It was my turn, I went out without a clue of the first song to sing or what style of worship or praise to start with. I just went to the pulpit and after telling the keyboardist my preferred key, the moment I held the mic, I could feel God’s  presence all over.

In my twelve years plus of being a singer, I’ve never felt God move through me like I felt that day.

I don’t know how it happened, I found myself lying flat on that dusty uncemented floor worshiping my breath out. 

God began to speak through me to the congregants, prophecies upon prophecies, everyone was on the ground, the guy I gave my phone to take pictures couldn’t, he was already slain in the spirit.
I was to spend 30 minutes,  I spent more than an hour, the moderator and pastor couldn’t stop me.

I cry again as I type this.

It was an awesome night filled with awesome experiences  and testimonies.
I was amazed at how God moved that night.

After the program, people kept coming to me to testify of God’s goodness and to pray for me.
It wasn’t me at all, it was God.

Many people, pastors and other ministers asked for my contact and right there, more ministrations got booked.

On my way home, I kept on meditating on the whole event.
What would have happened if I had allowed flesh to prevail that night.

If I had told God about my self esteem and probably lectured the church on how to be organised and honour their guests.

The honour I got after my ministration was far bigger than the one I would have gotten before it.

God added a new gift for me there that night.

I learnt a huge lesson and grew more in faith from that experience.

* * * *

God is ready to use us expressly if we are ready to humble ourselves.
Many would have been in their high places in ministry and destiny by now if they were humble enough.

The devil knows just how to slip in just so we can miss out on God’s blessings. 

I also learnt that to move to a next level, we have to pass a test. That incidence that night was simply a test, I knew God wanted to be sure of me before committing more assignments into my hand.

Majority have failed and still failing God in that.

He tested my humility and obedience that night.

After that day,  I made a vow in my heart that when it comes to ministry, I don’t have any ego, my self esteem level is zero. 

I don’t care if I’m made to sit on shit, as long as it will afford me the opportunity to minister to souls. 

I will take whatever insult for the call,  I will climb the highest mountain and walk the deepest valley just so I can reach those who I’ve been sent to.