20th May, 2022.

PATIENTLY INTERPRET REVELATIONS

Proverbs 2:11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

There was this sister who became close to me after service. She wasn't in my fellowship during my service year but she was a friend of the house. She attended some of our programs. During my service year, the only major contact I had with her that I can remember was when I visited her in her fellowship Corpers' lodge in company of other brethren when we were returning from an orientation camp meeting. I heard she was sick and couldn't walk so we went there to pray. Years after, we became close as I was to others. Just friends. More so, she has a ministry, a very genuine one at that. I knew the hand of God was upon her to impact her generation and till now she's fulfilling her ministry in the Lord. Those days, we discussed ministry related issues and that got us closer the more. However, unknown to her, I was already in courtship with my wife. Both of them are close to some extent but i kept my relationship away from her and many others not until when we fixed a date for wedding.

In the process of time, I perceived unspoken intentions in her closeness with me but I gave her a benefit of doubt. I told my fiancee who is now my wife about it but she kept her calm. Later, she shared with her a revelation she had about me being her husband but I wasn't forthcoming. All along, my wife(then my fiancee) played along without opening up to her that we were in a relationship. In fact, they prayed together about it. Recently, i asked my wife why she didn't react like some sisters will do. She said she left everything in God's hands trusting Him to perfect His will and plans. There's a lesson there: Don't fight for God, Whatever is truly yours can't be taken away from you. If my memory won't fail me, this sister told me the revelation she had but having known what she was driving at, I revealed the identity of my wife to her. She was shocked to know I was engaged with the same person she's been praying with. I didn't take offence neither did i look down on her. Till date, I respect her. In fact, unlike other sisters who were utopian in their visions and carnal fantasies, I want to believe she had a revelation truly but she misinterpreted it. Whether her revelation was borne out of her emotions or by the Spirit, I can't say but I knew whatever it was she saw, she misinterpreted it. If she had waited a little longer, clarity would have come.

Dear singles, don't be too quick to assume a literal interpretation or meaning to every revelation you see about marriage. I know your heart is longing for that day, the devil knows but he can seize the opportunity of that anxiety to reveal things to you that aren't of God: "A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool"( Eccl5:3). On several occasions, I've had some brethren share revelations with me about whom they intend to marry. Often, I try not to be emotionally attached to those revelations because I've seen many back out of relationships they once claimed was of God. Did they see? Some truly had a revelation but they didn't discern the source and interpret such revelations properly. Don't base your decision of whom to marry on revelations only. Other factors must be in place. Discern the source of that revelation rightly. Intimacy, admiration, emotional attachment with the opposite sex can make you see visions that aren't from the Spirit. Whatever you see, patiently find the accurate interpretation. Wearing a white gown and walking down the aisle with that brother in your dream may not necessarily mean God is saying he's your husband. Also, it should be noted that conviction about whom to marry must be mutual. If you're seeing and hearing all the time and it is not mutual, stay on your lane and pray that God reveal same to the other person. Don't intimidate sisters with "thus saith the Lord", it is not necessary. Just declare your "manifesto" and trust God to convince her.