I’m An Epitome of God’s Grace
BY EVANGELIST TINAJEL ISIBOR
My life’s journey as a Christian, is a life of ongoing dependence on God through Christ, and with the help of the Holy Spirit. Before I met Jesus my life was full of disappointments. But everything changed and my life became meaningful from the time I had an encounter with Jesus to date. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for saving my soul.
I was in my year one in Bible school in The Gambia, when I was told in a dream that looks like trance that I will be going to the Isles of the sea as a missionary. It was confirmed by two Men of God that told me same. And I told them I already knew about the mission to the Isles of sea. So, I started researching about the Isles of the Sea. So, I discovered that, “Isles of the sea” has always been interpreted as “an island amid the sea and can mean nothing else”. The Caribbean nations happened to be part of the Islands amid the sea.
"The name of the LORD God of Israel in the ISLES of the sea.” - Isaiah 24:15 KJV
"The ISLES shall wait for his law". - Isaiah 42:4 KJV
"Hearken unto me, MY PEOPLE...O my nation...mine arms shall judge the people, the ISLES shall wait upon me". - Isaiah 51:4-5 KJV
"Surely the ISLES shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far" - Isaiah 60:9 KJV
So, I embarked on a missionary-journey from The Gambia to Cuba in the year 2004. On arriving Havana, I started street evangelism. Though I could not speak Spanish, but God miraculously gave me a young lady as my interpreter for five US dollars per day for two months. Then I went on my knees and cried to God to make way for me since I was running out of money to pay for the guesthouse and my interpreter. Within twenty-four hours of praying that prayer, God touched the heart of a family in the church where I was worshiping every Sunday in Havana and they asked me to leave the guest house and come to their house where I was given a spacious room to live free with free meals.
After spending some time in Cuba, I left for Grenada another Island. On getting to that country, the person that was supposed to receive me traveled to the U.S. Then I became stranded with only $5 left in my purse. Then right there at the airport, one of the airport taxi drivers asked if he could help me, I answered yes, and he said my fee will be forty Caribbean dollars. I said OKAY, but I do not have cash on me now, that I will pay him as soon as I have cash. Then he said what address am I going? I told him to take me to a nice guesthouse to spend the night. He said that would cost a lot of money and you do not even have money to pay for a taxi fare and now you are asking me to take you to a nice guesthouse? Then I boldly said, I do not have physical or liquid cash with me right now, but I am very rich, and I will pay for your taxi and guesthouse by Monday since the day I landed Grenada was on a Saturday night.
The taxi man abandoned me saying, “I do not understand this lady’s language at all. I will leave her and look for another customer”. As soon as he left me, I started praying and I said, “God please do not allow this taxi man to get another customer until he takes me to a guest house where I can rest my head tonight, in Jesus’ name”. So, I sat down quietly waiting. The taxi driver went around looking for customer for about thirty minutes but none, then he came back to me and said since you said you are a missionary from Africa, I know where to take you to now.
He grabbed my suitcase and other things, put them in his car and drove straight to a guesthouse named “JEHOVAH JIREH” GUESTHOUSE. He told me to remain in the car while he explains everything to the owner of the guesthouse, I said OK. After speaking with the owner who happened to be a Reverend in a Pentecostal church, the woman asked me to come down from the taxi and I was directed to a beautiful self-contained apartment that cost eighty-five Caribbean dollars per night with A/C and other amenities. That same night I asked the lady if I could follow them to their church for Sunday service the following day? She said yes.
Friends, that Sunday was the beginning of my miracles in that country. After that Sunday service the owner of the guesthouse took me back to my new home. Then, somebody knocked at my door, I opened, and I saw a girl with the tray of food, I quickly told her that I did not bargain for that because I do not have money to pay for meals. But the girl with the tray of food told me, mammy asked me to bring this to you for your lunch free of charge. I collected it, kept it, and went to confirm from the owner of the guesthouse. The woman asked me to sit down, she wants to talk with me.
So, I sat down to listen to her. Then, she began to explain things to me. She said that same day that I came to the guesthouse, The Holy Spirit instilled in her heart to prepare Room #17 where a guest left earlier that day, for His daughter who is on the way. She said she ignored the voice and went to her house to sleep. But suddenly she became restless and uncomfortable, sweating uncontrollably. Then she started praying and the same voice told her to go back to her office and get room #17 ready for His daughter who is on her way. She said then she called her teenage son to go with her to get room #17 ready. But her son was complaining and said why must we clean this room this night when the room can easily be cleaned tomorrow? Then, she said to her son if you want me to be alive by tomorrow morning, you better do what I say before it is too late. In short, the room was prepared, and she went back to her house, then peace returned to her. She said, that was why she never argued with the taxi driver that brought me to the guesthouse. As soon as she saw me, the Holy Spirit told her that is the person I told you to prepare Room 17 for. So, she immediately asked them to open room #17 for me to stay. She said as she was about to go to bed, another instruction was given to her by the Holy Spirit, that she must feed me three times a day and the room should be given to me free until I move out of the guesthouse. And that was exactly what happened. The only money I spent was the forty Caribbean dollars for the Taxi fare. until I was taken to the mission house, my three-square meals were prepared, and the guest room was free.
Numbers 23:19 says,
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? — Numbers 23:19-20 (KJV)
Then, I continued with my street evangelism. From street evangelism to television evangelism, then hospital evangelism, then I began to minister in women conferences and in some Pentecostal Churches in Grenada.
The book of Numbers 23:20 says; Behold, I have received commandment to bless and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. Numbers 23:20 KJV.
In the year 2010, while I was on air flying back to Grenada from London, the Holy Spirit instructed me to start a radio program and the name was also given to me by the Holy Spirit. (A MOMENT OF WORSHIP WITH JESUS). I obeyed and followed all the instructions concerning the radio ministry. A week later, the radio program kicked off. At the same time, I was also working at St. George’s General Hospital as a midwife in Obstetrics department and as a part time RN in St. George’s University Health system. The radio program was live program. Several times I had rushed straight from the general hospital to radio studio to run the live program. The program became household name in that city until I relocated to Canada.
I was in Regina the capital of Saskatchewan when I was prompted in my spirit to move to Toronto. After waiting on the Lord through fasting and prayer, it became clearer to me why I needed to move to Toronto. Within few weeks in Toronto, God supernaturally connected me to Pastor Pat Eguavoen, the author of this book. Pastor Pat and I met for the first time in Dundas Square downtown Toronto during Extra-Mile for Jesus Evangelical outreach. While in Toronto, we did multiple outreaches together, through extra mile for Jesus, Voice of Victory and more. We are still together to date. To God be all the glory.
Friends, God favored me in that country first, with the Prime Minister of that Country, He elevated me from nothing to greatness in that country and established me. But, not without challenges.
Matthew 21:44 (ISV) helped me a lot, it says,
“The person who falls over this stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush anyone on whom it falls."
Though, attacks came from all over, but God fought all the battles and gave me all round victories. Isaiah 8:9-10 was at work in my life.
Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.
Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
— Isaiah 8:9-10
The journey was not easy, but God came through for me.
The following scriptures also helped me when I was going through trials in that same country.
“So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift a standard against him. “— Isaiah 59:19 (KJV)
“Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, what hath God wrought! —Numbers 23:23 KJV.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. — Colossians 3:23-24 KJV
Praise God today, as I share my testimony of God’s GRACE in my life. My husband and I are now Citizens of that same country. God is truly a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. That is why I said, I am an epitome of God’s Grace. Thank you, my Heavenly Father, thank you my Lord Jesus Christ and thank you Holy Spirit. I worship You.
