======================================================================== COUPLES TESTIMONY by Gbile Akanni ======================================================================== Summary: Gbile Akanni shares the powerful testimony of a godly couple whose marriage thrives on discipleship, divine principles, and placing God first, resulting in harmony and fruitfulness in both home and ministry. Duration: 23:30 Topics: "Christian Marriage", "Discipleship", "Faith and Trust in God" Scripture References: Genesis 2:25, Proverbs 3:5, Psalm 121:3, Ephesians 5:22-33 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In this heartfelt testimony, Gbile Akanni presents the inspiring story of Brother Tokbe and Sister Ife Adeniyi, a couple whose marriage exemplifies the power of discipleship and divine guidance. They share how placing God at the center of their relationship has brought harmony, trust, and fruitfulness in both their home and ministry. Their experience offers practical insights into building a godly marriage that thrives on faith, transparency, and mutual support. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Living Speed Media brings to you God's Word, which is his comprehensive equipment for changing lives. May the Lord impact your heart as you encounter his Word. For further inquiry or counsel, contact Peace House, P.O. Box 971, Boko, Benue State, Nigeria. Telephone numbers 0703 03636 59, 0703 76811 98. Email address lsmedia at livingspeed.org or visit our website at www.livingspeed.org. Let us sit back and listen as the servant of God brings forth the Word of Life. Today, our testifiers are coming to us from Nigeria here. They are beloved brother Tokbe and Ife Adeniyi. Brother Tokbe is a disciple, a Christian. Now, many times when people are getting married, we see the posters everywhere in the church. They say two shall chase 10,000, one will chase 1,000. But quietly, you can see that many times what our Christian marriages and matrimony, you don't see those level of fruitfulness. You just see that these two people, what they were doing before, they just combined together and they are just addition. But the Bible actually shows that what to expect is a multiplication. Now, our brother Tokbe is quite busy. He has moved very quickly to a very high position in his career and with a lot of responsibilities. So we want to ask quietly, by the grace of God, I haven't come along this way. I haven't been a disciple himself with his wife. We want to find out some secrets from them. So I don't know, is he on the screen already? Brother Tokbe? Quickly, if you are there, please, can you just indicate by greeting us? Brother Tokbe and Sister Ife, thank you very much. It's good to have you around. Now, you will introduce yourself as you want. Maybe you want to tell us how long you've been married, but if you choose not to. We just want you to please answer this through a light from your personal experience, how God has helped you. Can you share how God has helped you to discover critical areas of your individual strengths in marriage? And how that has contributed to the kind of things that we have seen God helps you to accomplish in a short while in your life and your family? And several other things like that. So please go ahead and quickly share with us. Thank you very much, sir. My name is Tokwe Adeniyi. And my wife? Keoluatumi Adeniyi. All right. By the grace of God, our marriage is still young, just about 19 years plus. And we really thank the Lord for the privilege to operate a home that values Jesus Christ as the central purpose. I think the things that we have been learning are the things that continue to force. It's very, very difficult for me to separate the experience I've received in my home from the principle that has brought me to this point. And the core of what has helped me in my home, that also dovetails to other areas of my life, career, ministry, raising and everything that God has exposed us to do is discipleship. And personally, I grew up as like a semi-orphan. And until I met the Lord, when he began to really father me properly, I began to channel my path. And one of the things God made me to see earlier was that it's not just what I will become in life. It will also be very grateful to the Lord that that was a big, big help that I received. So first and foremost, what brought me to the home is the fact that I became a disciple of the Lord at a younger age. And I got through the principles of knowing the will of God in marriage through constant oversight. He enabled me to be what God wants me to be. I didn't plan to be a CEO. I didn't plan. And when I entered the word of God properly in discipleship, something came forth. Sometimes I don't understand why people think to follow God or to follow Jesus means to be in the very thought, what I didn't even plan to be. That God wants to do something out of my life. And marriage was going to be instrumental in achieving divine purpose. So those instructions, first and foremost, shape on how I began to view marriage. So one of the instructions that I learned in preparation for marriage, which has also jumped into marriage, was that he will find a wife, obtains favor from the Lord. So I got the instruction that for me to get a godly wife is a favor is by mercy. So I began to ask God for the mercy that will enable me to live a fulfilled life. And that mercy was located in this woman. And from the time God brought us into that, we also submitted to guidance. And my father and the Lord prayerfully approved it before we could continue. Because for us, it is all about God going forward. As we moved into marriage, so something occurred to me. That's why I said I'm a product of what discipleship could create. And the biggest privilege in discipleship for me is fundamentally in marriage. I learned two principles in marriage. That as you operate this home, it is possible for you to live a home that is constantly dwelling in harmony. Follow the principle in ecstasy, God first, home next, ministry last. So I won't forget, as I learned this very closely, God first, ministry next, I mean, home next and ministry last. Then one day during my quiet time, when I got married, the Lord said, let me expand that principle you have learned. He said, God first, home next, walk last. In another word, what I've been learning under God was that if I have any issue with God, of course, that's a problem. If I have any issue or resolve with my wife, then I cannot go to minister the gospel. Then God said, it's not only ministry, the word of God, you must not go to walk. So I said it in Yoruba language, meaning that I cannot go to walk because I have not resolved an issue with my wife. The Lord said, yes, that both ministry platform and workplace is one and the same. So from that point, I realized that if I was going to make success out of anything, I must follow divine principle. I used to share that if it means for me to prostrate or do ballet, in order to have harmony with my wife, I will quickly do what? I'll prostrate, I'll do ballet. And I used to say, blessed are those who do ballet, because they will always have harmony in all things that they do in life. So sometimes in my workplace, they come to me and said, why are you always able to resolve issues without troubles? Why are you always doing this? Your wife must be suffering. I said, no, my wife is actually enjoying. I said, how do you do? I said, if there is anything that will create a problem between me and my wife, rather than me waiting for her to say, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. If it's to create harmony and for her to be happy, I will quickly do what? I'll just say, settle quickly. And that is because of what I've learned. And by the grace of God, for the 19 years, I have never had a single case of verbal or physical violence in my home. All 19 free years of harmony because of the principle that we have been introduced to. It works like wildfire. And it's for me, it has also given me opportunity to serve in the platform of workplace with ease. My wife joins me to pray. She knows everything we're going to pray about. We thank the Lord about businesses. Just the way we talk to God about souls. We talk to God about customers. We talk to God about businesses, about partners, about suppliers, about vendors, about staff, about people that we work with. Say the same way, just like you have disciples, the same way you have colleagues. And when souls of those people are one, we talk to God with the Lord about them all. So, I cannot divorce from the principle of discipleship over my life that has translated to everything in my home, which becomes a bedrock to both ministry for me, as well as workplace. Let me turn to my wife. Praise the Lord. Okay. On my own part, before we got married, separately, we had been involved in youth work, children, and all of that. So, I knew that once we get married, we're going to continue. But the picture I had in mind was that of whatever we have to do, hence in church, you know, just minister to people in church. Their house is going to be, you know, the husband has to live and cleave to his wife, and the house is going to just be for myself, my husband, and the children. Whatever we have to do affects lives, everything hence in church. So, but inside of me, I also knew that this man, you know, he will sort of want to bring people, you know, closer. But I felt such things will be undone, and then everything will be fine. So, when we got married, and I started seeing people coming to the house, I was, I wasn't finding it very funny, because I was wondering. We meet in church. After church, everybody go home, and then we, I faced my home. You stay with your parents. I raised my own family. But one day, very early, you know, in our marriage, still, we're still about some few months old in marriage, and it came to me strongly. And it was in form of a question, which I knew was God. And he said, what exactly makes your husband feel fulfilled and very, very excited? I said, okay, when he, when he's able to affect lives and brings them, you know, closer to God, and he talks to them and all of that. And the next question was, how then can you be a help, meet for him? If you don't walk in this same line, if you don't allow him to do this, and that was the starting point for, you know, for the work that God has for us. And I got a divine understanding that, yes, for me to be a help, meet for this man, then I must be ready, you know, to allow God to, you know, to use me to really fit into that purpose. And the second thing that has helped over the years, I will continue to help, was revelation God gave me, showed me clearly what the assignment and the purpose he has for our home was going to be. By the time I shared with him, you know, he was so excited. And since then, we've not had any reason to look back. And by God's grace, we will continue in this work, in Jesus' name. Amen. Maybe I shall. Okay. Because I already have another question that is coming on that. Go ahead. If it's very important, go ahead. Briefly, very short. Thank you. So I wanted to add that while I was passionate for young people to minister to them, to the same way my own life has been affected in discipleship. I wanted to affect other young people. I saw that that was the only reason to leave. But I've also learned I have to wait for a while. It looks painful, but I have to wait. I have to pray and I have to wait until God will show her. I used to think maybe that was too slow. But later on, when God does the work, I realized that she's almost faster than myself. I'm almost playing a catch up. I'm now praying for grace to be ahead in everything again. So I saw that actually the principle of waiting until God does it in my spouse works and is very, very discreet. When I was pushing about my own way, maybe one or two percent can be with us raising. By the time God sparked it, what I could not imagine became what was apparent. She was raising several people that I could not even imagine. Myself, I see myself just like somebody who catches the fish. And she's the one that roasts, cooks, bake, incubate. So for me, I will repeat following that principle over and over and over again. Thank you very much. Yes, so please, if you are listening to us, don't forget a very key thing that brother pointed out. The first thing he learned in discipleship, as many of us have learned, those of us who have followed our father in the Lord, is the fact that for God, the most important thing in his life is his wife. We learned it and we saw that it was the Bible. And all of us that have learned that, and I see it coming out again, is the fact that he said when he has said to this account with his God, he made sure that everything in his home is settled. And it is from that point that you can see the results. God has said they have not been retarded. One quick question, because we have just about two minutes or three minutes left. In the light of this, many homes you discover that even though they wear the same dress outside, the husband and wife, they look as if they are together. But if you are very sensitive, you will discover that there is an underlay of suspicion, accusation, you know, self protection. You see the woman sometimes, she can go and build a house with her parents in the village and her husband does not know, or the man is doing a project, the wife does not know. You know, as if, you know, self preservation and all of that tendencies you find. Now, looking at your family, your matrimony, and the fact that we know that you deal with a lot of young boys, young brothers, very attractive females, and in fact, many few times I've been to your house, there are a lot of young boys and girls living with you. How does God help you and your wife? And especially the fact that it involves many times catering for a lot of expenditure and all of that. How has God helped you to remove that? That's my own faith, that spirit of, that monitoring spirit that we find many times when a husband is going out, the wife has sent spies. Is that where you slept? Make sure that, tell me when he reached there and when he arrived yesterday. So all of that, which principles, what did God do to you, that you can move freely among young ladies and young men and women and you are not suspecting, some of them travel with you, even outside, and all of that. So can you quickly tell us what happened? Thank you, sir. Maybe I should start by saying that because my wife is the most beautiful lady in the whole world. And most caring. Again, maybe not to avoid repetition, I cannot diverge it also from the principle I've learned early, that it is God that brings and it is God that keeps. Whatever God does not give me, I can't have it. And whatever he gives me, he will hold it to the very end. Right from our courtship, I saw some brothers or some men around her. One day I was going by and I saw them, then and then, Mr. Beast was the in thing then. And I went and I saw this brother talking to my wife and I greeted them and I exchanged pleasantries and I left them. So later on, the man looked at my wife and said, my friend said then, why is this guy so confident, he never even thought of anything going wrong. So my wife came to me and said, that guy was very, very surprised that I didn't feel anything. You know, I said, a man received nothing except is be given from above. I will not watch over you. He who gives me will watch over you. I will sleep and I will slumber, but he who keeps it over his head does not sleep and slumber. So the principle we have learned is to allow God to be the watchman. I will not be the monitoring spirit. I will not be the, you know, I was just trust the Lord who gave you and it will keep you as well. So that's what the second point that I'd help us, particularly myself, is the fact that going into marriage and service to the Lord starts with that death point. From the point of knowing Jesus properly, I seek no longer personal interest. It is no longer me, but Christ. So even at home and anything that must happen in my home is no longer about me. It is about Jesus. Therefore, I am not interested in any pecuniary benefits. I'm not going to be a philanthropist. Not now. So I am only going to seek one focus, whether at home or at work or any place, Christ and his interest. And that for me has been my drive never to suspect my wife. I don't even need to know her phone password. I don't even need to know where she chats with because I know the one who deals with me is dealing with her on a daily basis. The Lord. Check. OK. Lord. Yes. Thank you. Go ahead. All right. For me, for me. But in courtship or even before I gave my consent, I don't. One of the key things that helped me in my decision, making it aside the fact that I knew that this was God, you know, showing me that this is going to be my husband. And one thing about him is that I knew that this man has a fear of God. And that was a very that has been a very big thing for me, that this person who has a fear of God. Now, when a man has a fear of God, what else is not going to hurt you? Because he knows that whatever he does is doing it to God, just like Joseph. When Joseph was when his wife was, you know, trying to get Joseph. How can I do this? How can I do this? God, he was saying that he's going to be against God. So that has been a key thing for me. Then another thing was that it was as if God made my husband's heart cleft to me, revealed his heart to me. So, for instance, even if he comes, if it happens that he comes and he's shouting, I know that he's not the one. The real person is not the one shouting. I know the heart of this man. So there is it's I'm so sure as sure as going to bed. I know that the sun will rise, you know, praise the Lord. So that has been a very key thing for me. And it has helped me over the years. Praise the Lord. So we are going to please, even though we wanted to take more, but we have to end at this point. But please note what we have said. The fact that it is God, the fear of God, that is ruling and that handed over everything to God, he will mix. The second was he was making a point, the issue of transparency to be able to know that this person is who he is. And of course, that must have come from times of trusting and being very consistent. Now, the Bible said they were both naked and they were not ashamed. They need to be naked. The need for your wife, your husband to know who you are, not to fight you, you know, to be so transparent. Even your motives is very critical and it has worked for them by the grace of God. So God bless you, sir. Thank you for coming. The Lord keep you in Jesus name. Would you want us to just pray one second prayer for them? Let's pray together. Father, thank you for your mercy. We are grateful for this couple that has shared their lives with us. Lord, please raise more couples like them for us. The essence of this retreat, this O God is that we will have specimens like this. Thank you, Father, for hearing us, Lord. For in Jesus name we have prayed. Amen. ======================================================================== Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/gbile-akanni/couples-testimony/ ========================================================================