Delivered from cancer Week 3, 2026

 

Some weeks after I had surgery in June 2022, I noticed my stomach was bulging. A gynaecologist advised I allow some months and then do exercises to flatten it. Some folks thought I was pregnant and many assumed I had gotten married and congratulated me. I was scared but the word of God that came repeatedly to me that time was “Though the fig tree does not blossom and ..... Yet I will rejoice.” Hab3:17, 18.Somehow, meditating on that verse caused fear in me. I was wondering what that fig tree that will not blossom is. On Monday 16/12/2022 I dashed off to Good Shepherd Hospital, Enugu to see the surgeon, but he did not know the cause of the protrusion. He sent me for an ultrasound scan which suspected a ruptured ovarian cyst. There was much fluid in the abdomen. My right ovary was said not to be in good shape and its removal recommended. Everything was pointing to surgery which was really scary especially as I am single. Which brother will want to marry a sister with multiple surgeries? I did not know that this was still the beginning of the journey! Thank God my ovaries were not removed hastily. An ultrasound guided aspiration of the fluid for GeneXpert to rule out abdominal tuberculosis, and a chest X-ray were ordered to find a diagnosis and what was causing the fluid. At a point cancer was suspected, and the ascitic fluid taken for cytology. The test revealed it was positive for malignant (cancer) cells. I was also sent for CA-125 (it came out higher than normal) and CT abdomen and pelvis which further confirmed cancer. How would I tell my mum? I walked like a moving corpse back home. Chai, I'm finished. Is this how my own has ended?  My whole life changed instantly. All I saw and perceived was death.

Several brethren encouraged me, prayed for me and pointed me to God’s word. At one meeting  I was praying and cancelling the “positive for malignant cells” that was written on my lab result: I trusted that as I was cancelling it with my biro, God was cancelling it in my life. After praying, I took the result to the altar and spread it there. I thought in my heart to leave it there all night for God to read and attend to it, but in the morning, I decided to leave it at the altar till after the program. I went for Peace House Prayer Watch on 2/1/2023 - 4/1/2023. As the word of God kept coming forth, I was appropriating it to my condition. It was a battle. I kept confessing and believing God, “I will come back here next year and testify.” By 11/1/2023, the doctors were already discussing the surgery and the urgency of doing it. They explained the implications of the results and the extent of surgery. My two ovaries, uterus, and part of my intestine were to be removed urgently before the cancerous cells spread to other areas of the body.  The gynaecologist asked if I was married and done with childbearing. That was a Bomb shell! Every possible thought flooded my mind- “So I am now a man, my dreams of having ejima (twins) are cancelled, no marriage for me again. Did I do wrong to pray for God's will and want conviction before I say yes?” My mother cried on hearing these tidings. We prayed together. We called on several people who joined in prayer.

I went for a job interview the next day, but hardly was myself. In my mind, I went there to distract myself. During one of such break periods, I went on to Peace House Radio, and Bro Gbile was preaching “Behold I will do a new thing..”Is43:19 and later, I had a call with the lead Gynaecologist. During it, he suddenly became uncomfortable with the proposed surgery. He began to question, “What if this is not cancer?” This was indeed the turning point. The possibility of repeating the cytology and some of the tests that I had previously done was raised. That was how the results, which were positive before, started turning negative. During the ultrasound, my right ovary, which was never seen all the while, was visible and fine: both ovaries are fine. “What did you do?” the radiologist asked. It was the same one who did all the scans. What did I do? What did I do that I know? Nothing. All I remembered that I did was that I prayed. I was told to be doing routine monthly scan for monitoring in six months' time. Over 2 years have passed, and I remain healed. Hallelujah! Therefore I tell you whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mk11:24 (ESV)     

Chinenye is a lecturer living in Enugu

An appropriate response Week 2, 2016

 

Have you heard? Apostle has been deceiving us, he's been sleeping around with women o. Ah, this news coming after Evangelist’s saga! Shame! Wicked, false brethren..

Jud 1:4, 13(ESV)  For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ... wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. 

Why are you telling me about them? I don’t think you are responding properly. You are so excited, even happy at their downfall.

How will I not be happy? All these people who spoil the name of Christ must be exposed and disgraced. For too long has the way of truth been blasphemed because of them.

Is that the way you see it? Gal 6:1(ESV)  Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Shouldn’t we rather seek their restoration?

Restore what? Don’t you know how many so-called restorations have swept sin under the carpet and exposed sincere sheep to ravening wolves? Wait, are you sympathetic to sin?

I doubt it, my sister. Have you considered 1Cor 5:2(ESV)  And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 

Now you are talking. All such must be removed from among us!

Don’t jump. The first thing is for us to mourn, not be excited and rejoice. Evil has overtaken someone and enslaved them. Mourn. You know, in hindsight, those who rejoice over the downfall of these ministers, and trumpet it, have quite frequently followed suit in falling...

Those ones were in secret sin as well, brother. Their own day came.

Can you listen to me? Our attitude is guided by Gal6:1. The command to keep away from their company in 1Cor5:11 is designed to bring them to repentance, not showcase my own holiness. 2Th 3:14, 15(ESV)  If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. We must mourn, fast and pray, talk less to man and much more to God. Then launch into what will both recover the fallen soldier and protect the sheep. When the Corinthian disciplinary action made the offender sober and repentant, we were told in 2Cor 2:6, 7(ESV) For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow

That is it, when he repents. They probably were never believers in the first place.

Let heaven be the judge of that. I know that, but for grace and mercy, I also would have fallen like them. No, don’t look at me like that. He has kept me from such all my life. I just know repentance is a work of grace and mercy, which are released as we mourn and pray. Shaming, though necessary,  can’t by itself bring a permanent change 2Cor 2:11(ESV)  so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. 

Rest for the Spirit of God Week 1, 2026

 

I don’t understand this concept of giving God rest. It is us who need rest. Jer6:16(ESV) Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ 

Yes, we indeed need rest, but God also rests. The very first-time rest is mentioned in the Bible, it refers to God Gen 2:2  And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work... 

Yes. And since that time God has been resting now.

On the contrary Jn 5:17(ESV) says But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”  and there is such a thing as God’s rest. Zec 6:8(ESV)  Then he cried to me, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country.”  We think a lot about us resting, and that is very, very scriptural. There’s rest that can be given to the Spirit of God. Give it this year

How?

First of all, are we still wrestling with His Spirit? Gen 6:3(GW)  Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not struggle with humans forever, because they are flesh and blood...”  Did you notice the Spirit of God rested on Jesus? Jn 1:32(BBE)  And John gave this witness, saying, I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I believe it is because of what God saw in Jesus that the Spirit not only came but rested. And what was in Jesus? Certainly joyful obedience: Ps 40:8(ESV)  I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. When we do God’s will cheerfully and joyfully, like Jesus, we give Him rest. In Zechariah, those whom God sent accomplished His task. Arguing with Him instead of submitting to Him does not give rest. Job 22:21(NIV) Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.

This passage talks about you being at peace, not God resting.

Yes, when we give God rest, we also are at peace. Seek to give the Spirit rest in every place He assigns to you this year. Don’t run away like Jonah, or grumble about His will. Secondly some people do God’s will with imperfect hearts and wrong motives. Wrong motives deny us rewards. 2Ch 25:2(KJV)  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart. Php 1:15(ESV)  Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. Consider Act 13:22 (ESV)  of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ When God was searching, you might say He was not rested. But having found one to do all His will, all His will, then rest follows.

I see. First: joyful submission. Second: full obedience with a right heart. And the third?

Hahaha. Blessings guaranteed: Gen 2:3(ESV)  So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. Take note of the “because.” Give God’s Spirit rest, you’ll be blessed.