I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Jos for the 3-day Kingdom Intervention Conference 2023 which was hosted by Lapis Lazuli Ministries. I have always wanted to visit Jos. So, when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at it. Interestingly, I didn’t know any of the preachers but just know that Olumide Iyun was on the worship line up made me feel really excited.
‘Amazing’ doesn’t nearly describe the worship sessions we had. Every session was an encounter with the Lord that opened up my heart to receive the words shared by the ministers. There was Kathreen Ruonola who ministered along with Tom Jones, Charity Cook and a whole team of people who flew long hours on their own bill into order to minister alongside them.
In many ways, Kathreen Ruonola reminded me a lot about Kathryn Khulman – the same slim frame, blond hair, the way she ministered, beckoned the Holy Spirit and waved her hand over each person she ministered to while closing her eyes in a trance like style. She didn’t preach much. Instead, she made us e of videos and pictures of testimonies.
There was the video testimony of a child who came back to life having being in coma. There was a lady who regained both fallopian tubes after having only one fallopian tube and was called a ‘unicorn womb.’ There were many evidences to stir up our faith for miracles and they did. Deaf ears popped opened. I saw some with a blinded eye receive sight. I saw a lady who had pain in different parts of her body leap up with excitement as the pain disappeared.
All of these reminded me of the words spoken by Apostle Paul, ‘I do not come to you with persuasive words of human wisdom but with demonstration of spirit and power’. In other words, ‘Evidence dey, no explanation needed.’
Booths and Healing Rooms
As a volunteer at the event, I was assigned to man the prophetic booth and healing rooms. As people came for ministration, I noticed that most of the women who came in were widowed. Soon enough, I asked one of the men who came in about what happened to their husbands. His one word answer broke my heart, ‘Herdsmen.’ Just then, the words of Isaiah 42:22 came to mind:
“But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.”
In that moment, I finally understood why God had instructed for the meeting to hold in Jos.
And the Lord shewed me four carpenters. Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, these are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it”. Zechariah 1:20-21
We had come to declare “RESTORE!” We had come in the name of the Lord to cast out the horns of those who lifted up their horn over the land.
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During the ministry time, I had the opportunity to minister to some pastors. Each session was significant but the one that stood out to me was the session with a particular pastor. I received these words for Him, ‘He who comes to God must believe that He is.’
What happened had to Him was that He had gotten to a stage in his walk with God where he no longer believed. Though he was a pastor, he needed to be pastored again. This reminded me of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus where He told Him that he had to become born again.
It is really tragic when those who ought to connect people with God are disconnected from God themselves. This reminds us to focus our attention on God and as much as possible, eliminate the ‘middle men’ as we are all on our journeys of faith.
Mindsets and Religion
Jos is a very religious city with many people bearing Christian names. They knew the Bible but they seem to be more into religion than having a relationship with God.
During a break session, a group of us came together to share about our experiences as volunteers. During the conversation, someone in the group noted that she had observed that the biggest block to people getting “sozo’d” was religion. There were many calses of trauma manifesting as bodily illnesses. We noticed this with many women who had aches and pains that plagued them periodically. My sincere prayer for these women is that the peace of God will continually garrison their hearts and mind and that the widows amongst them will find rest in knowing that God is their husband.
How can I forget to share about the amazing conversations I had with individuals who had the names of certain Bible Characters! I met a Nehemiah. I also met a young man who reminded me so much of David. He had a small stature and he was a worshipper. Interestingly, his name was Benjamin but he had such a David vibe.
I also met a big bulky man who had a good laugh when I told him that he looked like one of David’s mighty men. As we spoke, the Lord revealed that He was jealous over him and wanted him fully but he was distracted. Once again, he had a good laugh and went on to confirm that the words were true.
I ministered to many more people, one of whom was a woman who had so much sadness in her eyes and heart. She felt disappointed became of unmet expectations and unanswered prayers. While ministering to her, I made her stand up and turn in the opposite direction. I encouraged her to start each day by praising God and from the revelation of who God is, she is to make her request known. Rather than sulk or go about with a long face, she is to sing praise to God.
On the last Day of the conference, I approached Mrs. Bajomo and asked that she prayed for me. While speaking with her, I mentioned that I had received a prophetic word about doing what she currently does. Her response to this was that everything she does was a result of her simply loving on God. The work she does was not done out of a sense of obligation. It was simply an overflow of the intimacy she had with God.
There are more lessons than I can fit into a single post but I know that they will be with me forever. The glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the seas and I will continue to play my role in God’s agenda for the earth.
Written by Ugo Chinakwe
