Everlasting Gospel
In the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ
In the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
Now and forever more. Amen
This is to testify about the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. I thank the Almighty God, the Father of the Universe for His wonderful deliverance of me and my entire family.
Words are inadequate to express my thankfulness to God for saving my life and those of the members of my family on the 15th October, 1978, when the car in which we were travelling got involved in a very serious accident. At the scene of the accident someone who saw the wonderful work of God ask me, “How will you thank God?” I want to borrow this question in writing this testimony. This is because I do not know how to thank our Father. But for his love and mercy this testimony would have been an obituary in memory of myself, my sister, the four children the Father has left in our custody and an elderly lady relation. In short, seven lives would have gone - all members of a family - a total annihilation. God our Father turned what would have been the worst tragedy to joy. Let thanks be to God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Shortly after returning from the morning service on Sunday 15th October, 1978,I traveled out with my entire family along Calabar-Itu Road, in search of petrol. At about 4 pm. at a point about two kilometers from the bridge-head, I and my family members were confronted with death. However, since God has promised a way of escape for all those who believe in Him, He appeared in the midst of this and I saw Him face to face, when He reassured me that "whoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed."
When I left Calabar, the car I was driving was in a very good condition. However, as God would have it, at that point the back right Michelin tyre which I bought on 3rd June, 1978 miraculously melted and so affected the movement of the car. Suddenly, the car started swerving from one side of the road to the other. A long line of vehicles led by a big bus were approaching in front of me, another line was following me behind. With that turn of event, I could no longer, as a human being, control the car.
I tried the best of my ability to control it but it tended to the left when I tried to wheel it to the right and so on. The brake could no more hold and so I surrendered myself to the hands of the Father calling his holy Name - OLUMBA OLUMBA OBU, my sister who was sitting in front with me shouted OLUMBA OLUMBA OBU several times. I did not know what happened next. It appeared I was in a trance and in another world when I heard a crashing sound and my head hit on the ground three times as the car somersaulted violently three times.
As it completed its assignment of somersaulting, it came back to its normal position, on its tyres not on the tar but in the swamp facing Calabar. Let thanks be to God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
In a few seconds, the ordeal was through. As I gained consciousness, I saw myself still on the driver's seat, still holding the steering in the normal way. A great crowd gathered round the I car. I was surprised at their gathering. They started talking and shouting “open the doors and try to bring them out, what are you waiting for? Help bring them out”. Upon their shouting, out of mere excitement I asked them what was happening. But the people knew I was not myself. When I turned my eyes to the back seat I saw my three children sitting normally with bright eyes. They opened the back doors and the three children jumped out without any injuries and started playing. Let thanks be to God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I then tried to come out from the car but could not open the door. My sister opened her door and went out with the smallest child she was holding. It was when I finally came out that the wind-screen was brittled and broken and the front top and both sides of the front part were seriously damaged and twisted. I then realised that there was an accident.
I noticed with the same breath that all the occupants were safe and sound, no injury of any type. I knelt down, knocked my head on the ground and thanked our Father. My sister did the same bursting into a spiritual song - "Edise ubong OLUMBA - 0', Enye akara ke esang Ikpaha Mba - O! Which being interpreted is: 'Come and see the glory of Olumba, He rules with iron rod and is never tired.' Realising that without our Father we would have been at that moment dead things. Let thanks be to God in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As if the seven of us saved by God from death were bolting from the blues, the people who gathered round started asking "where are the people who were in this car, are they all dead. Where is the driver, has he escaped?" Then I told them I was the driver and showed them, all those who were miraculously delivered from the accident. One of them asked me "How will you thank your God'. The crowd which gathered were astonished, tongue tied and dumb founded. They could not believe their eyes. Because from the way they described the accident they did not believe that any person could be saved. All of them thanked God for His wonderful works.
From our dresses the people knew we were Brotherhood members and so instead of asking more questions, they thanked God and declared 'your God is great and powerful.' Let thanks be to God in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I have personally known of lighter accidents which claimed lives of people, I know of people who died in a vehicle which somersaulted once, but ours somersaulted thrice, yet we all came out alive. Glory be to God in the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
What have I done to merit that great deliverance? I know I am sinful, I know I am not grateful at His manifold blessings, I know I do not benefit Him in any way but I know that I have absolute faith in Him.
“The just shall live by faith." It was only this faith that saved me and members of my family. The accident was to fulfill the will of God and to strengthen all believers in their faith on God the Father. All glories go to God. If He did not will it, it would not have happened. It is my utmost belief that the accident was predestined to occur on that day. It was a foreordained plan of God.
This testimony is still long but it will cover pages to commit all into black and white. I am grateful to our Father, His deliverance and the love He gave to brothers and sisters who assisted us during the incident and brought us back to our home. Inspite of the condition of the car a brother driver volunteered to drive it back to Calabar.
We were delivered not because of good works of our righteousness but because of His merciful and loving kindness. Whoever, therefore, surrenders himself completely to God shall never be ashamed for He will not suffer His holy ones to see corruption. His grace is sufficient for us.
Among some of those who visited us were important choirs who instead of singing to our 'memory' sang praises to God for sparing our lives. Others not spiritually inclined advised that we should visit the hospital for check up and to be x-rayed in order to discover injury/injuries which might not have been discovered otherwise. I reluctantly accepted their advice but boldly told them I would be examined by our Father at 26 Mbukpa Road, Calabar. He is the only being who can see inwardly and outwardly, a person who is more than x-ray.
The following day after the accident we presented ourselves to the Father who laid His Holy hands on us and bestowed His blessings on us. Upon this all known and unknown pains were healed. May his Holy name be praised and glorified.
Concluding, we are thankful to God for the deliverance and we shall not stop at thanking Him all the days of our lives.
Let thanks, praises and glory, honour, dominion, power and majesty be to our Father, the Almighty God, the lion of Judah, the Supreme Commander of authority in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ now and for ever more. A-men
THANK YOU FATHER
Pastor Okon Akpan Essien umoh