My 2021 Testimony: How I recovered from robbery.

This testimony has been long overdue. So 2021 began on a sour note for me, especially with spiritual things. It seemed like things were going awry. I felt like the heavens were closed and nothing was working. I got to the point where I felt the only job I could do was a driving job and I began to apply solely for driving jobs. I was called for an interview and the man asked me a question “Akoma, I looked at your CV and was puzzled. I just recently interviewed about 10 candidates for a job role that is far more complex than this driving role and pays far more, but none of the candidates are as qualified as you, based on your CV. I am curious to know why you want to drive.” I took a deep breath. I didn’t know where to start. How could I even explain that I was a Pastor and even a Regional one but willing to drive because I was desperate to feed my family and take care of my family? I began from the beginning of my CV and how my company crashed leaving me in debt of over 7 million and how I was still paying it to date. He heard me and told me that he believed I would have my break. He was certain of it. He asked me to go back and consider again if I wanted the job but he feels it will be beneath me. I left his house with a spring on my feet. I mean, someone at his level felt I was much more. Dear ones, sometimes people around you just need that soothing words that assure them of much more. Note, I was still pastoring, I was doing mighty miracles, I mean crazy stuff. The worst part was several folks’ debts were miraculously paid, just not mine. And very few ever bothered to help. I became seriously depressed. I read a dear Pastor’s post recently on how he suffered depression in 2021. I smiled as I moved past. I went for our annual conference around April and the Man of God ministered to me telling me of demonic influence afflicting my finance. Told me what to do, I did. I had some relief, including a debt of about N500,000 cleared off. It was miraculous and I even got a job as a Business Operations Manager in a media firm. I thought things had changed, but the enemy struck again. Within a month, I was sacked and for vague reasons. Apparently, “you have been doing well but your team is lacking and as team leader, get out!”. As I struggled with that, Dad’s gratuity was paid and he gave me some money to buy a car to do bolt. Got on that and was managing to make some money every day. However, I knew it was affecting Ministry. Spent over 18hours driving. Where will I pray, study, or even bless the people? I allowed my assistants to do all the work while I pursued money. It became obvious that some things had to change. Then I got a new job, another Business Managerial role. But problems outweighed the benefits and I soon wallowed in financial issues. I was choked up, besieged, and yet had to deal with domestic church matters. It was approaching a crescendo and I was barely able to survive. This gravely affected my performance. I was struggling with deep depression but had to keep a strong face for my family, my church, and all who knew me. It made me a lot distant. I could barely discuss even with my wife. I spent a long time looking into thin air or aimlessly at my phone. Prayer gradually became difficult and those I owed didn’t ease up. I was constantly harassed by small loan sharks till I could barely pick my calls. The worst part is that I cannot simply ignore a debt. Owing money shrinks me down emotionally whether the person presses for it or not. It weighs on my conscience because the bible says, ‘the wicked borroweth but refuse to pay back’. I was working 9 to 5pm and then run Bolt from 5pm to 10pm sometimes 11pm. My wife constantly warned me to stop working till night. But I had to make some money for the house. The salary didn’t cut it. The needs were just too much that I wondered how I survived without the job in the first place. God is wonderful. Till that fateful evening. Prior to that day, I had been getting some signals in my spirit to stop Bolt and focus on the job. But I found it hard to because Bolt helped with quick cash. That fateful day, 31st August 2021, I woke up with a strange feeling of foreboding. I sensed a terrible thing was about to happen. By about 4am I began to pray till about 7:30am. However, because finance was my biggest issue, I prayed solely for my finances. I didn’t even bother to investigate what I was sensing. I even did a voice note to pray for the church and its finances. I went to work, got out to the field, met clients, and by around 5, I put on my bolt app. I sensed a great urge to return home after the first client, and I felt inclined to obey, then my wife called, informing me that the baby pampers were finished. I had no money and became apprehensive. I picked on the second request and after dropping the passenger, I stopped somewhere to put off the app and set my map to go home. This was about past 8pm. I was in a popular place in Abuja, at the heart of town. People were everywhere, it was a popular junction. A car suddenly blocked my side and three men came out swiftly, I initially thought they were policemen and didn’t react, till one hit me with his pistol on my face. I became disoriented with blood flowing everywhere. I was bundled to the back and two of them held my head and legs at the back while the other drove. They drove around town for several hours with no one stopping them while they tried to extort me of N3 million. When they saw they couldn’t get anything from me, I was tied with my clothes and thrown to the bushes while they drove off. I had never felt helpless like that day. I am usually stubborn, a trained fighter, a man of great faith, but I was weak as a baby. There’d been about 4 previous attempts to rob me and I was victorious each time. ironically, this happened two days after I declared in the church that I could never be robbed. Me (viciously preaching while recounting other experiences): There had been four robbery attempts on me and I came out victorious every time. Glory to God! I can never be robbed! Satan: hold my beer. Out on the road, by around 11:30pm, no one agreed to help me. Like the story of the good samaritan in the scriptures, everyone avoided me. Cars that tried to stop will speed upon seeing the injuries on my face. I walked down to a nearby petrol station to seek help, but no one helped till a Fulani boy riding on a bike stopped to help me. He drove me to my junction which was surprisingly close to where I was dropped. Then a man at a bar gave me his phone to call my wife. I truly preferred death to seeing my wife, I felt so ashamed, angry, and helpless. I felt like just had my break and then lost it all again. The depression here was on a different level. I felt like ending Ministry altogether. But two Sundays after, I was on the pulpit still talking about faith. I recounted the whole thing to the church and I admonished them saying, “It is not enough to teach the word of God but to put to practice what you teach. The word doesn’t work because you teach it or have good knowledge of it, but because you put it to work.” Then I declared again, “I will never be robbed again.” I could no longer say I have never been robbed, however, I affirmed that it won’t happen again. Was I scared that it would shake the faith of some? Yes! And I’m sure it did. But I would rather they had the truth than sell a false image of superman Pastor. Then I declared again what God told me, “This year will not end without me having a car” The first week of December, The man who interviewed me for the driving role called me. It was a Sunday afternoon and I missed the call, but I got his message on WhatsApp to come to the house. It was weird but I got there only to be given the car keys to a Toyota Camry 2003 model. He said God spoke to him a few weeks back to give me the car and he was just obeying it. Friends, that was how God ended my year with a bang. The new car has got a far greater engine than the previous one. I am enjoying the car as it has been a good relief for me and the family. Asides from the advantage it brings, it is a statement that God wasn’t through with me. Here is why I am sharing this story because it’s quite difficult to, I was asking God for something and he asked me to share this. There is someone that needs this message right now. God is not through with you. You will have your break! This is just the beginning of what God is about to do for you and with you. This post isn’t my usual article