A TRIBUTE TO MY ONE AND ONLY PAPA.

 

When I First Heard About Him: 

I first heard of Bishop David Oyedepo in the year 1992 at a crusade organized by Church Of GOD Mission Faith Center Benin City.

I was a preteen and a member of the children's choir of the Miracle center branch of the aforementioned Assembly.

Archbishop Benson Idahosa of blessed memory proudly introduced Him as "My Son..."

Years later I got introduced to the Assembly He Oversees, Living Faith Church aka Winners Chapel, Ota, by my Mother's eldest brother during one of my holidays to Lagos in the year 2001.

My Born Again Experience:  

It was a Herculean task journeying to Winners Chapel on Sundays, the roads were bad and the crowd was heavy.

We sometimes left the house by 5 am just to be in good time for the service.

It was a single service then.

After being panel-beaten by the journey, I would end up sleeping during the service, only to wake up when the Grace was being shared, lol.

The Ushers were quite disruptive of my beauty sleep, so I sometimes sat in a way to avoid being easily noticed, lol.

The sleep was a different kind, it was felt in my marrow, lol.

However, I was cured of this sleeping pattern in the year 2002 when I attended the leadership conference of that year.

It hosted some heavily anointed servants of GOD from across the globe.

It was a Life Transforming experience and I bade goodbye to sleeping at Church till date.

I consciously accepted JESUS CHRIST into my Life during that program and a bad habit I'd been struggling with left my life like a dry leaf would fall off a tree.

I got baptized both by immersion and the HOLY SPIRIT with the evidence of speaking in tongues in the year 2003 at Capernaum, Raji Oba and my life was never the same again.

Devoted To Scriptures: 

Winners Chapel is a wordful assembly, you can't be here and not fall in love with the Holy Bible.

Every statement made from the teachings of the Pastors must have a scriptural backing.

It was here I learnt to detest any information that can't be confirmed by the Scriptures because "The Scriptures Cannot be broken!"

Bishop David Oyedepo made me fall in love with the Bible to the point that as a baby Christian everything else was kept at bay till I was done reading and studying the Bible when I awoke.

I still practice that till date.

There were two life Transforming tabloids published by the Commission then, titled "Winners World and Signs and Wonders Today" these helped me grow Spiritually and I remember scouting the length and breadth of the Gigantic church premises looking for those selling the tabloids.

I became an avowed reader of life transforming materials by associating with this Commission, reading Papa's books and those of other note worthy authors became and is still a delight to me.

Papa also encourages critical thinking, he would say, " If you don't think, you will stink!"

Faith In GOD: 

Indeed this assembly is a faith-filled one.

It was here I became sold out to optimism and possibilities.

It was here I learnt not to see myself any less than how GOD sees Me.

I was taught to put off the limitations of my physical senses in order to enjoy GOD'S Unlimited resources.

Papa said; "You must be a Sheep before GOD but a Lion to the world!"

I was taught that as a born again child of GOD, it was an error to be scared of the devil and his antics!

Papa would say, " it isn't unspiritual to be attacked by the devil but it is unscriptural to be defeated!"

The testimonies I've heard from the altar of this assembly are so ground-shaking and humbling that I have been moved to tears on many occasions.

These testimonies and the Word of GOD preached and taught paved ways to my faith in the miraculous and I am a recipient of some miracles and will yet be.

How Proverbs 8:12 Transformed My Life: Beyond my academic attainments, Poetry was what brought me to global recognition but I wasn't always a poet and I performed poorly in Literature  during my Senior Secondary Leaving Certificate Examination.

My journey into poetry(I've written over 100 very lengthy poems and published some in two poetry collections) began in the year 2009 when I came across a pamphlet sized book titled "Dare To Be Different" in the book was this lengthy poem in rhyming quatrain verse, I fell in love with the theme and structure of the poem that I instantly wanted to become a poet.

I believed I could be whatever I wanted because Papa told me so and quoted Proverbs 8:12 to drive home his point.

It reads; " I Wisdom dwell in prudence and find out Knowledge of "Witty Inventions."

He said, " Wisdom is the rightful application of Knowledge and Witty Inventions are those expressions that are mind blowing."

Armed with this truth, I called forth the poet in me quoting that scripture in context and the rest is a poet, PoetonicElla who writes lengthy poems in rhyming quatrain verse style, 😁.

I also strongly believe that the Laying of hands Impartation I received from Papa on January 12 2003, ignited a Spiritual gift in me Papa possesses, which I'd intensely admired and desired.

Papa would say, " GOD Is your manufacturer and HE has the Power To Repair Or Replace whatever is out of order in your life by HIS Word, just locate HIS word concerning you and HE'S committed to bring it to pass because HE has exalted HIS Word above HIS Name!".

Papa would exclaim; " The Word Works Wonders!!!!!"

It worked and still works wonders in my life.

An Epitome Of Humility: 

It was in this assembly I learnt humility by example.

Way back, this Commission had luxurious buses that took people to Church.

We called the drivers 'Pilots.'

Amongst the 'Pilots' were MD's of Banks, Directors of Companies, Medical Doctors, Lawyers... these served GOD joyfully and put their positions on hold before their Creator and HIS Congregation.

We were/are taught that we must humble ourselves before GOD and serving GOD'S People with utmost humility is a Honour unto GOD.

Bishop David Oyedepo is humble to the Core, unassuming and always directs all praises to His MAKER.

He would say ; " Whatever I did right is GOD'S Doing and whatever I did wrong is My doing!"

Papa is a Man That Detests Being Praised and this attitude has shaped my life in no little way.

Even in the midst of solid undeniable affluence He is nonplussed, focusing only on "Knowing CHRIST and the Power Of HIS Resurrection."

He Walks The Talk: 

There is something I learned studying Papa and it is his devotion to Scriptures in an exemplary manner.

His life is patterned after the dictates of the Scriptures.

If it can't be found in the Bible, it can't be believed or practiced by Him.

This is what has gained him the undeniable proofs he enjoys.

He is Covenant conscious and principle abiding! 

He is so GOD Centered, His diligence is contagious.

Humility, Thankfulness, Servanthood, Signs and Wonders Commanding, these and many more are the virtues His life and practices are founded upon.

Generous To A Fault: 

Papa would say; "You can give without loving but you can't love without giving!"

"For GOD so loved the world that HE "Gave..."

"Prosperity doesn't answer to prayers or fasting but to the Covenant of Giving which is the same as sowing because" While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest will never cease"- Genesis 8:22.

Papa made me see giving as sowing which must yield multiples of its kind.

He also made me realize that I must give joyfully and intentionally knowing the covenant principle I was applying.

The giver isn't doing the receiver any Favour but is only opening avenues for him or herself to be enriched.

He would say, " what you keep doesn't increase You and what you give doesn't reduce you for the generous soul will prosper and he who refreshes others will be refreshed as well"- Proverbs 11:25.

Papa teaches not to despise the poor because "whoever mocks the poor, despises their Maker"-Proverbs 17:5.

Papa teaches that your wealth is nothing if it isn't adding value to those beyond your obligatory environment.

The beauty of it all is that He is a testament of all He teaches.

He applies what he applauds.

I can go on and on but I'll have to temporarily stop at this point.

I Love You Bishop David Oyedepo, My Papa, Mentor and Role Model, You're a Blessing to Us all and Your legacy will forever stand tall...!!

Happy 70th Birthday/Platinum Jubilee Papa, May You live to be 120 years as the Scripture prescribes, if JESUS Tarries.

Emmanuella Utieyin Edun aka PoetonicElla.