Marriage Seminar=

Living Seed 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 enquiry or counsel, contact Peace House, PO Box 971, Boko, Benue State, Nigeria.

Telephone numbers 0703 03636 59, 0703 76811 98. Email address lsmediaatlivingseed.org or visit our website at www.livingseed.org. Let us sit back and listen as the servant of God brings forth the Word of Life. Begin to look at the seminar that is dealing with marriage.

Marriage. I am sure many of the young people will be very excited now, and will be gathering themselves to come and listen to this very important and critical topic. But then today, by God's grace and mercy, we are not just going to be looking at marriage, but we are going to be having some inputs of those who also have passed through some principles of life that they learned, that has helped them in their marital union.

Of course, we have known and we have heard that if a man will become anything useful in the hands of God, he must choose right while he is young. And marriage is one very critical junction where the devil normally waits for the young one, knowing that once you miss it at that junction, you will likely have troubles as you grow in life. As we go ahead, can we pray together, trusting the Lord as he will lead and guide us in Jesus' name.

Let's pray together. Our Father, we want to thank you very much this day. Thank you for how you have been helping us.

Thank you for guiding us and showing us your way, showing us your Word. We are trusting you again this time, Lord, that you will indeed help us. You will bring clarity and understanding to our hearts, that even as we begin to learn concerning the issue of marriage, Lord, you will deliver everyone who by adventure is entangled in one relationship or the other, or who are taking wrong steps towards this critical issue of life.

We pray that as your Word will come to us again today, you will help us. In the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you, our Father.

We pray together in Jesus' name. Amen. Just for a brief introduction, I'd like us to open our Bibles to the book of Genesis.

Genesis chapter 2. And we will just quickly read from verse 18. And we might not be able to take all the issues that the Word of God will be raising, but just some tips that will help us. First, to understand that God is in the business of marriage.

He has been in that business. He started the whole idea. He is in the process and He will help even inside the marriage itself.

But let's read together Genesis 2.18. I'll be asking my wife to help us to read. Genesis chapter 2. And we'll read from verse 18. Let's just quickly read down to 25.

Genesis chapter 2.18-25. Genesis chapter 2.18-25. Thank you very much. Praise the Lord. And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone.

So we are noting first that God is the one that initiates marriage. It is God that said it is not good for the man to be alone. For many of us, young people, the question is, who tells you that it is not good that you should be alone? Is it your friends? Is it your parents? Is it the pressure of the society? Is it your age? Is it your status? Who tells you that it is not good that you should be alone? I want you to first note here that it is God that said it is not good for a man to be alone.

Anything else that gives you the idea that you are alone and you need to get somebody and it is not of God, the Bible says there is a way that is symmetrical to a man, but the end actually will be destruction. You need to wait to hear from God that for you as a person, it is not good that you should be alone. Any marriage outside of God will only make you arrive at a different destination that you plan for your life.

May I first say again that we are talking about the Christian marriage here, not just any marriage. Christian marriage that God himself is involved in that will make a young man, a young woman to be able to go in their mind to do exploits for the kingdom of God. The second thing I want you to notice, even as I look at this, is that the Bible said it is not good that the man, I was surprised that the Bible did not say a man.

The Bible did not say it is not good that a man should be alone. There was emphasis on the man. It meant that God was actually looking for a man that he has made, a man who has encountered him, that he will find a wife for.

May I let you to know that any man who has not found a wife first, he will damage you as a young girl. A man who has not encountered the Lord Jesus, who has not submitted the leadership and authority of his life to Christ, if he finds you before he finds God, he will make a mess out of your life. So marriage is for the man that God created.

Marriage is for the new creation man. And as I checked, I discovered that almost all the translations used the man, not a man. It is not good that the man should be alone.

I, God, will make a help meet for him. It is God that must let you know when it is time to marry. It is God that must help you to understand that you have come to a point where you need a help or where you need to go and help one of his children that he has made.

Don't jump the gun. Don't let the pressure of the society. Don't let the pressure of friends.

Oh, this is my friend. We were classmates together. And she's just 23.

I'm 25. How could she marry before me? Such pressure never brings out what God planned and proposed for your life. Now, when God has given you the sense of the time to marry, you must spend time to pray and wait for him.

God, making it very clear, said, I will make him. So it is God that makes. You should wait for God to finish and complete his work of making upon the life of the man, upon the life of the woman.

We see many who say, but God has already shown me who to marry. What am I waiting for? Will you not wait and allow God to finish his work upon such a man or such a woman's life also before you enter and get engaged in anything? Now, after God has said this, the Bible is very, very interesting. Verse 19 now says, Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air, and he brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them.

And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name Jareth. And Adam gave more cattle unto the fowl of the air and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. When God went to work in making a help meet for Adam, I noted that the next thing God did was to bring various beasts of the field and fowl of the air and brought them to Adam.

Thank God that Adam did not pick a monkey. Maybe men would have been getting married to monkeys today. Thank God Adam did not pick a baboon as much as he looks like a human being.

If not, men would have been getting married to baboons today. But can I ask you, who has been showing themselves, who has been presenting themselves to you as a man that is already making you confused about who to marry? Are there some very beautiful, wonderful fowls of the air who are presenting themselves? Are there some cattle, well-dressed, that are showing themselves before you? I don't know whether you are already in a relationship with a man who beats and batters you every time. That is not a man, it's a beast.

It's a cattle. That's not what God has planned for your life. I watched a video the other time of a peacock that has beautiful, colorful feathers.

The tail feathers. Very beautiful. It was just there and people were looking at it very amazed.

And suddenly it turned and the feathers just came out and everybody said, wow, wow. Are there peacocks who have been showing themselves to you, painted from head to bottom? They turn this face, it's another color. They turn that face, it's another color.

And you think that is what is best for you. May I tell you, please, it is God that makes. Wait for Him.

All our senses, the eyes, the nose, the mouth, what can He see? Just a physical body. But God knows the man, God knows the woman that will be with you for life. God does not look at the outward appearance.

God sees the inside and He sees the person that is fitting for your life. May the Lord help us to wait for Him. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen. And God brought them to Adam. But for Adam there was not found a help.

And so what did God do? God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam. The Bible said, and he slept. Brother, are you supposed to be sleeping at a time like this? Are you at the junction? Now you are thinking, I need to get married, but I'm confused.

Maybe God has been asking you to sleep, but you are struggling with that sleep. Sleep and allow God to do what He wants to do. Allow God to bring forth what He has planned and proposed for your life that will take you on this journey so that you can go in your might.

The Lord makes a help that is suitable for every life. If you choose by yourself, it might not be fitting. Because God does not look at just your today.

God looks at your future. God looks at your tomorrow. God looks at the person that will fit into your life, that is elastic enough to fit into you, come what may.

May you be helped not to be confused by some very wonderful teachings that are going on today. They say, shine your eyes. God is no longer in the business of choosing for men.

I want to tell you very clearly what God has told us. God is still in that business and He chooses for men. May the Lord help our hearts and indeed guide us in this matter of choice in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now we are going to be having some of our brethren that will be sharing with us how God helped them in following these principles until they got to that junction and eventually got married. They will be sharing practically with us their own lives and I want you to listen very well. They will be sharing with us how God led them to the person they married, how God guided them in eventually proposing and their period of courtship, how they were helped.

But before I call them, do you have one or two things you want to add to this? We should just go on. All right. So I'm going to be having, coming to us from South Africa.

We have our brother Antutuko and Yonella. They are going to be sharing with us practically how God helped their lives, how God led them to one another, what steps they took, and how they were guided into their marriage. They are going to be sharing with us what they went through during courtship.

Where there are some imputes made into their lives, they will be sharing with us. So can I hand over now to our brethren in South Africa? Antutuko and Yonella as they come to share with us their testimony of our marriage. Welcome, brother and sister.

The Lord bless you. Amen. Thank you so much, brother Kayode.

We appreciate God for the opportunity and the privilege that he has given us to come up and share in this meeting. We are here today just to appreciate God and also to give a testimony on how God has helped us through the process of discipleship or discipleship relationship, particularly with the matter of being in a relationship that leads to marriage. Now, I remember in 2015, we were in one meeting.

It was a student congress. It was in Mtata, here in South Africa. I remember that there is this one particular day where we were studying about building an altar.

And as we were studying about that, for me, it was the first time I was learning about that. So I was so interested seeing that, honestly speaking, God really desires that he wants to commune with us. So my focus was there.

I was digging more and more on that. There was this time slot we were given where we had to go to be alone with God. So as I was busy engaging God on some matters that he was discussing with us, then this matter of marriage, God raised it with me at that particular time.

And when he raised that matter, what was shocking to me is that he mentioned it in the name of the sister that possibly I will marry. But at that time, I was so shocked because my mind was not there and my heart was not there. All I was asking about is about the matter of being alone with God, communing with God.

To a point where I even turned around to check, is there a person speaking to me about this matter? Now I felt like this matter is going to distract me from what I'm looking for and what I'm searching for in God. Then I put it aside for some time. Now, as I was putting it aside, I think as the meeting was going on, God just gave me one scripture in Matthew 1, verse 19.

Remember the relationship between Joseph and Mary? And there was an instant where Joseph wanted to put Mary aside because of the matter that Mary was pregnant of the Holy Spirit. Now, to me, at that particular time, God was saying, do not put this matter aside because I want to engage you on this matter. I took down those notes.

I prayed about it at that particular point, and then I kept it. In 2016, I was just continuing with my life, continuing very well in discipleship as the Lord was helping my own life. Until when God began again to raise this matter with me, it was late 2017 when we were attending MLR.

Now, when God raised this matter again, one thing I was praying and I was asking God, I said, God, if this is the matter that you really want to engage me with and is something that I should pay attention to, please, can you at least probe one of the elders, any of the elders, whomever that is related to me, to come to me and probe this matter to me? That's how I was praying to God, and after that, I just put this matter aside again. I remember that in that same meeting, a few elders probed this matter to me, and they were talking about it like that. Then the following year, 2018, one of my brothers, at that particular time I was staying with him, even he came again, and he asked me about this matter.

Then we discussed with him things like that, and what is it that God has been saying to me, and then we had to pray about it and things like that. So I kept at that particular point, I was so deliberate, and God began to engage me, even because I had fears. You know, things that I was thinking about, it was how should I relate with Yonella, since we are in the same space, we are in the same discipleship, most of the work that we are doing, we are together in the same space, together with the brethren.

Now, if I pursue this matter, and one day this sister tells me that, no, no, no, no, no, no, you are not the one, how would I cope in that kind of environment? And then God just gave me again the scripture that the peace that I will give you is the peace that is not of the world, is the peace that is coming from me. And that settled the matter in my heart at that particular time. Then I began to engage even elders to discuss about this matter, to a point where they also helped me and guided me correctly on how to go about it, what to do, what not to do, things like that.

And then there was a time where I had a meeting with one of the elders. At that particular time, he was checking with me what is it that God has been saying. Then I shared with him, and then to a point where I said, okay, it's all right.

We prayed together with him, and then he said, no, you can go ahead. I went ahead. I made my mind known to her about my intention that we should walk together in this journey in marriage.

After making my mind known to her, after proposing to this Dionella, and then I went to sleep because I was properly guided, because I had a number of elders who were telling me even one and the same thing, which is the beauty of discipleship and growing in discipleship, where you are properly trained, even on how to go about the matters of marriage. And one thing I was glad about is that one of the emphases that they were counselling me on is that, pray, you need to hear God. You need to hear what the Lord is saying, because those are the words that will keep you.

Those are the words that can even anchor your relationship, if eventually you will enter into it. And even the way they were talking, it was not something that they showed. It's not like, you know, to me, it was really, really a training at that particular time.

Just take the step of faith and go and make your mind known. So it was really, really a point where I learned a lot, and I saw how the Lord can help even a young man within the discipleship relationship and how beneficial it is. After that, I went to sleep.

I didn't engage her, didn't call to probe her, to say, okay, how far? Even at the point after making the proposal, I realized that, hey, no, there is something that is left now. The answer may be positive or may be negative. Now, I was asking God, God, where to from now? Because if the sister comes back and says no, hey, it will be really, really challenging for me.

I was seeing that, okay, the time is going. Obviously, the sister is praying. I don't need to distract her, things like that.

And then I remember God gave me one scripture in Luke chapter five. It was verse four that says, when he had stopped speaking, he said to Simon Peter, launch into the deep. And then God began to say to me, when I am finished speaking with my daughter, that's when I will instruct her to come to you.

So just relax. That gave me, you know, I was so calm and so peaceful, even within my heart, because I knew that now God is with me. God is guiding me and God can speak of which is some of the things that I enjoyed.

I continued with my relationship with God. So let me just hand over to Sister Yonela so that she can speak on what was her response when I proposed to her. Over to you, Sister Yonela.

Okay, thank you. I think for me, as a growing disciple, and I think he has talked a lot about the benefit of discipleship. Marriage was a conversation that God had already been bringing into my own heart.

I think around 2016. But when God was more deliberate in speaking to me about it, because he took me away. I remember attending an international conference to present a paper.

And when I arrived there, after presenting, it's like something just told me to stay in that room for the next four days because the conference was five days. And that's when God was really being so deliberate in speaking to me about who I'm going to marry, his character, the type of person that he's going to be. And I believe by the end of that time alone with God, he even was able to tell me exactly that this is the brother that you're going to marry.

And for me at that point, what was so important and what I really found to be good training is also how over the years in discipleship, I learned how to relate even with the opposite sex, how to relate with brothers and how to behave around brothers. Because I felt like this was a big trust that God is now giving me as his daughter to tell me so much information. And I didn't go about it to misbehave, to, you know, flaunt myself around him so that he can notice.

Because I've seen that that can also be such a challenge for sisters particularly. So I was so grateful to God that I was able to keep and compose everything that he had been sharing. Because this was 2017 and he came to actually propose in 2018 at the end of the year.

And having received that proposal, of course, I spoke with elders that were having spiritual oversight over our lives in discipleship to carry them along in what was happening. Now that I had received the proposal and even him coming was the greatest confirmation really. Because as a sister, you never know until this person that God has spoken about you actually comes to you and make his mind known.

So and I remember during that time before he came to propose that God kept saying to me in Proverbs from the Good News Version, Proverbs 3 verse 5. Don't rely on what you think you know. So every single time that I would relax and feel like no, this is it. God kept wanting me to search more and not just think I know it all now.

So I really appreciate that. And at the time that he came now to propose, I shared with the elders. And again, I wanted to engage God to find out more now that Lord specifically, you know, I even had questions that I had towards the Lord.

Because we were taught even in discipleship that when a brother comes to propose to you, don't immediately be saying yes. And, you know, take your time to confirm over and over again and allow God to speak into the issue in your own heart to solidify your conviction. So in my own heart, I set out to even ask questions before God that Lord, am I seeing well? Am I even correct? That was the first question that I asked the Lord.

Am I seeing correct? And I needed to wait on the Lord and receive the word of God. And I remember he answered that question from Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 12, saying to me that, yes, for you have seen well. For I, the Lord, am alert and I'm active and I'm watching that my word will be performed.

So when God said, yes, you're seeing well, I started to feel that even in that space of praying, God is actually engaging me more. Then again, I asked the Lord that this made up in my mind. I wanted God to keep confirming his word.

Again, in the book of Acts chapter 5, verse 38, God came and confirmed that if this is manmade, if this whole thing is manmade, then it will fail. But if it is from God, then no one can overthrow it. In fact, even the people who can try will be fighting against God.

And all these words were such high confirmation for me that, Lord, this is what you want me to enter into. And I asked the Lord, what would you have us do? What is your will? And again, he gave me his word. So when I had directly had prayed again, I took it to the elders.

I said that I'm now convinced beyond a shadow of doubt that this is the person that I'm going to marry. So that period of praying, having received this proposal and saying yes, was so much of value to me. I remember these words that I'm sharing with you even now because God spoke to me about it even then.

So I prayed and God helped me to just keep trusting God, of course, with the help of elders around us in discipleship. Then I went and gave my response. And that's when our courtship relationship began in 2019.

Amen. Yes. So at that point, when she gave me a positive response, obviously, yes, I was really, really happy.

And I thank God. I remember I was at work at that particular time. Then I also referred back to the elders.

I remember I spoke with them. I spoke with my pastor to mention that this is the response. Then I remember at some point we were inaugurated into our relationship, we were prayed for, and we were guided on what to look for.

Because now at that particular point, here and there, you were hearing that which was one of the challenges. Okay, now do you have money to pay for Ebola? Have you set up a wedding date? You don't need to wait. So all of those pressures and communication were coming across us.

But thank God that He helped us with several guidance. I remember that when we were inaugurated into our courtship and we were prayed for, we were given a guide to say, Okay, for now, this is what you need to focus on in courtship. One of the things that we were given is that we should pray together, we should plan together, and not play together.

So those are the things that we've been continuously reminding ourselves, even throughout the process of courtship. And by the grace of God, there is the training that was offered to us, which was pre-marital training. And by the grace of God, we went to that training.

We learned so much. We learned so much about marriage, that honestly speaking, marriage is good. Marriage is building.

There are a lot of things that we learned about marriage, of which we're cementing something within us, to honestly speaking, to see honestly that what we are entering into is not something that we can just jump into it. We need a major understanding on where we are going and what God is expecting of us. The conduct of courtship, what we need to do to engage God further about His purpose, about our lives, family planning.

There are a lot of things. Thank you so much. Thank you very much.

Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you.

We're so grateful. But then I wanted us to please note some very salient points that they mentioned. You remember this afternoon we were asked to go for a loan with God.

We were asked to go and commune with God and let God speak to you as a young person. You heard in their testimony how he was pursuing how to build an altar unto God. And while he went for his own loan with God, God began to speak to him about marriage.

That was where God engaged him. And that's where he began his own process. That was when God said it is not good that you should be alone.

I don't know how you spend your own time. I don't know what you do with quiet times when you should have been with God. You are learning now from these brethren that they kept pursuing God.

They were not pursuing who to marry. Many of us spend time looking for who to marry and we leave God by the side. I pray that God will help and guide us in the name of Jesus Christ.

Even for the sister, can you imagine that she already knew God already spoke to her about his brother one year before. And she never went around him to start displaying herself and advertising herself and saying are you not seeing me? Has God not spoken to you? She waited. May God grant us help to wait in the name of Jesus Christ.

She waited until the brother himself came to propose. And they went through all the process as elders guided them and prayed them into courtship. May the Lord help and guide our lives.

And I wanted us to please note here that this was God at work doing what he alone knows how to do best. Amen. Now our brethren from Liberia.

I don't know if they are ready. Thomas and Seta. All right.

Thank you. So our time is quite short. So let's go.

Over to you. Praise the Lord. We want to be grateful to God for his preach.

We are grateful to God for his mercy and how far he has brought us. Now let me just go straight into the major points. Sometime back in April 22, I remember the servant of God came to Liberia.

And there was a meeting that was taking place that particular day. And a brother from my community handed over a flyer to me to be part of that meeting. I actually took it for granted.

It was the second time giving me that flyer. But quietly I said, let me just go and see. And I remember entering that meeting very casually, thinking it is just another service.

But when I entered the meeting and I heard the word of God coming so personally to me. And it was hitting the issues of my life. And I was seriously affected that particular year in 2012.

And I decided to surrender my life to Christ. I remember there was a prayer, a section that Mommie Shadi took. And she was praying the matter of the court that was tied down for the master use.

And I remember stopping that meeting and she prayed the prayer. She said that God is going to tie some of you down for his use. You will be tied down for the use of the master.

I strongly believe that that prayer was answered. Since that year, 2012, I have not escaped that rope. And God is still keeping me in the mercy.

From 2012 up to 2016, I decided to follow up in discipleship. And one of the things that discipleship did to me, it exposed to me a personal relationship with God. I noticed that God started having so much personal interest in my life.

And he started to speak to me personally concerning the future, what he wants to do with my life. That he has brought me in so that he can fit me into his purpose. But first, he needs to train my life for it.

So there was an overwhelming passion that took over my life. And all I wanted was God. I wanted to know God with all my heart.

I remember that I was talking with a sister in America and we were about planning marriage. And then when the Holy Spirit began to speak to me that, that sister you are talking about is a distraction that I want to take you. You need to cut that relationship off.

And I remember I already rented an apartment. And the sister was going to come down from America so that we can quickly get married and travel to the States. But I kept on following God and learning how to hear God.

I decided to take a decision and put it to that sister. I decided to follow Christ and this relationship is over. She insulted me that you don't know what you want in life.

You are confused and all of that. My mom called me and said, listen, this and this, you can still be a child of God. And I said, no, what I'm hearing is a matter concerning my future and I need to take a decision for myself.

And I put an end to that relationship and I began to follow God. After four years, sometime in 2016 November, having my normal regular devotion, my normal quiet time, God began to raise a matter quietly in my heart concerning the matter of marriage. I first saw it as a distraction that I decided to push it aside.

But the more I wanted to push that matter aside, the more the impression became stronger on my heart. And I didn't know how God did it, but God began to place this sister on my heart so strongly. And I was confused.

I was thinking it's nothing. It's just maybe my own feeling. But when I went to pray concerning it and the Holy Spirit raised a passage with me from that chapter 2. Because normally for me, I love to ask questions.

I was asking God, why is this thing happening to me? And God brought that passage that it is not good that a man should be alone. But I was looking at my life. I said, is it time to get married? Is it time? And God was saying, yes, it is the set time.

And God began to speak to me about this sister. But I was having a struggle because I felt I can't be this sister. But God kept convincing me and saying to me that this is the only way into what I want to do with your life.

All that I've been saying to you in this secret, what I want to do with your life, the plan, the purpose I have for your life, nobody fits into it except this sister. And I remember I heard in my spirit that she's your perfect choice. And that is how I call my wife up to now.

She's your perfect choice. So it began to strangle my heart and I couldn't keep it to myself. I decided to go to my disciple that retired.

I remember that I met him in his living room and I told him, I said, sir, there's a matter here now that I want to share with you. Like my disciple is never under pressure concerning any matters. I spoke to him.

And when I began to share with him this matter of the sister, the question is like, who's the Rosetta you are talking about? And I said, Rosetta Roberts. So when I began to share with me issues that God laid on my heart, what he said to me, go and write that, your conviction and turn it over. So I remember I went back, I wrote my conviction, almost three sheets.

And I told him what he said, you are writing more episode. So he went through it, he told me to think about it, to keep it quiet and not to share with anyone. But to be free concerning it.

And I kept on praying, I kept on waiting. I remember one particular day and he called me, I think it was his wife's mom, they called me and said, I think you should go ahead and make your proposal. And then I met the sister normally at our office, because there was no close contact between us.

So I met her and I said, sis Rosetta, I want to speak to you about something. But I noticed she was delaying. And one of the elders called me and we were discussing something else.

So later on she came and I shared with her what God, I've been speaking to his secret, that she's the only woman that fits into my life. And if I will be wholesome in what God wants to do with my life, particularly in his purpose, she's the perfect choice that God has given unto me. So after our tour and she said, let's go and pray.

I remember telling her, I said, for me, I'm convinced, I think you should take up time to go and pray concerning this matter. Because I've been praying, never said it's a secret. So I think you should be the one to go and pray and to hear from God what God is saying concerning it.

And then that was it. We were not immediately launched into courtship because I remember my disciples speaking to me, telling me that. You must allow the sister to pray, to have her own personal conviction, because it is a conviction that will be an anchor for this relationship that you sense that God is speaking to you about.

So I allow, it took up some time, which of course she will share her own experience, but let me stop at this point and then hand over to her to share her own experience. Yes, Rosetta. Thank you, sir.

Praise the Lord. I want to be grateful to God. Particularly for the discipleship and the preach of having a disciple who he used in the process and is still using to mold my life.

I want to be grateful. Prior to now, I want to begin with my past life. And I want to say it is the result of lack of family life.

What I'm about to share with us in Liberia. At age 16, I began to have relationships, sexual relationships, and not married at the time. That is my past.

And at age 18, I had multiple relationships. And there was no one to guide me in the way of the Lord. I didn't know, I have not entered into discipleship.

But I remember clearly, I think April. It was when I encountered this way. A brother preached to me on campus at the University of Liberia.

And he was convicted. And I decided to throw my life in God. And I allowed him to control my life.

It was a bit difficult because after spending 10 years in a wrong relationship. Having a child. And you have been taking care of yourself.

No input from parents and all of that. Now to come on God or him or her. It was a kind of different thing.

And it was like, how do I go on from here? Seeing that I'm self-supported. I have to go to school. How will I eat? How will I manage in life? So I decided to pray about it.

And as I went to pray, I heard God saying to me that. Do not worry about what you will eat. What you will drink, what you will wear.

He said I should seek him as I pursue him. All other things will be added unto me. So that was an anchor for my entry into discipleship.

So I held on to that. And I was later introduced to my disciple. By this brother who preached to me.

One of our brothers in discipleship. So as I started to follow in discipleship. I felt a need that.

I should not just be dangling. Just floating in discipleship. I needed a him or him.

I needed a disciple. So I went to pray about it. And then the scripture came to me from that first Samuel.

That. And. I was pointed to me that she's my disciple.

I should follow her. If I will learn into. The divine purpose of God for my life.

I should follow her. In discipleship. So I went to her and said.

What does it mean? That you are my healer. One evening I went to her and she just laughed. I said I was praying.

God showed me that you are my healer. So she said go and pray. Making clear to me.

And because I wanted to follow this way. I knew that this is the way. For my life.

I stuck to her in discipleship. God helped me. I was transparent.

She was able to speak into my life to guide me. And on and on. I started to learn how to hear God.

So all through that time. I was not really focusing on the matter of marriage. Because just came from a relationship.

Where my life was messed up. Scattered. For 10 years.

Just wanted to learn this God. Who I felt at the time has interrupted my life. I just wanted to know him.

I just wanted him to help me. I wanted to have a fulfilled life. So I started to focus on this.

Your marriage come up. The brother came to me. In 2016.

Before coming to me. I told my disciples. There is a brother.

Who has proposed. So we want you to go and pray. But my heart at the time.

Was not positioned in that manner. So I started to delay to pray. Because I had an idol in my own heart.

It was a brother. Who I wanted to get married to at the time. In discipleship.

I saw for his zeal. His love for God. Because I felt that that brother would have been.

The one to carry me. Into the purpose of God for my life. So I was looking at him.

So when I decided to pray finally. God spoke to me. But I was now.

And pointing it to this brother. What God was saying to me. At that time when the brother now.

Proposed to his sister. I felt so bad in my own heart. So I felt like I'm not going to pray.

So my disciples said pray. A brother has proposed to you. So because of the delay.

Even though I was hearing God. Saying to me that. There is a brother.

And I should not worry. I should focus on a purpose. And I would not need to parade myself.

He's bringing a brother for me. And this brother is like John. I will have no authority.

But to take me as his wife. So I should relax. Thank you very much.

Our time has actually gone. But at least I know that you prayed. And you are guided in discipleship.

Until you got married. Sorry our time actually has gone. I know the stories are plenty.

But time will not allow us. To take all the stories. Let me just quickly point out.

At the point she said. She was married. It was not actually marriage.

She was cohabiting with another person. That was what she was doing then. But you know.

In her country. It's not a strange thing. Ladies just walk in.

And keep staying with a man. They might even have children. And it does not mean anything to them.

When God came for her. And she pulled out. God helped her.

She gave her life to Christ. And she ended that relationship. And never went back there again.

Until God brought her this path. Sorry our time has gone. We might not be able to take more.

Than that testimony that she has given. We will see how God will help us. But having had this.

I think we need to just pray. And what are we focusing on? Are you there that you are also entangled. In one wrong relationship or the other? Have you taken a step outside of God? Have you gone your own way? And God is showing you again and again.

With the lives of these our brethren. That he is still very much involved. In the issue of marriage.

I don't know whether your own. The only prayer point you have. Is God who am I going to marry? We noted from these two brethren.

That they were only interested. In knowing God and pursuing God. The Bible says.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God. And his righteousness. God will add everything that you need.

Unto yourself. Bow your heart now as we pray together. Can you take a decision? Can you come out? If you are in a wrong relationship.

If you are cohabiting with a brother. Or with a man. Or with a girl.

Or with a man. And receive the help. That God alone gives.

In choosing a partner. Can you end that relationship? All those idols of Baal. That you are still holding on to.

Can you pull them down? Are you entangled? It might even be movies. It might be pornography. It is eating deep into your life.

Can you pull those idols down now? And can you go to rest? Can you pursue God? Knowing that God indeed. He will come for you. At the appointed time.

Let's pray together. Please pray for us. Let us pray.

Father we thank you for this moment. That we have had together. Thank you for what you have brought to us.

Through our brethren. Thank you for your word. Because it is yes and amen.

And forever true. All that we ask of you this day. Is that are there people.

Amongst all of this. Your young people that you have. Very great intentions for.

Very great plans for. And you have gathered to equip. At this time this year.

Are there some of them. By one reason or the other. That have become entangled.

In one relationship or the other. And it's not of you. Lord we beg of you this moment.

For grace. For this young man. For this lady to.

Come out of this entanglement. In the name of Jesus. Lord.

You have proposed to raise. An army of the young. At this time.

Lord please cause that. Nothing. About the matter of feelings.

Emotions relationship. That is ungodly. Nothing of such will disqualify.

Any of this ones. From being a part of this army. That you are raising at this time.

In the name of Jesus Christ. We just beg you our father. Grant that there will be help.

There will be grace. To take the necessary step. You have spoken to us earlier.

About obedience. Obeying right now. Lord please grant that.

There will be grace to obey you. There will be grace to take steps. In the right direction.

Having heard this. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We just plead with you that.

You will succeed over the lives. Of every one of this young people. Even over this matter.

That you are raising with us. In Jesus name. Thank you our father.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.