Famend Nigerian Christian filmmaker and founding father of Mount Zion Religion Ministries, Pastor Mike Bamiloye, has opened up a few lesser-known battle in his early years—an dependancy, to not substances, however to secular writing.
He recounted the transformative energy of surrendering one’s skills to God and embracing the decision to Kingdom service.
In a Saturday publish on his Fb web page, Bamiloye detailed how his journey to changing into a pioneer in Christian drama was marked by resistance, relapse, and in the end, whole give up of his skills to God.
Based on him, in 1982, a 22-year-old Bamiloye stood exterior a crowded church corridor throughout a conference, listening to the highly effective ministration of a famend gospel singer.
He described the expertise as life-changing.
He mentioned, “The anointing that morning was so heavy upon the congregation because the voice of that lady hire the hallowed chamber of the massive corridor.
“I couldn’t maintain again my tears. I fell into deep prayer, crying out to God, ‘LORD, You might be utilizing a lady; use me too. I need to serve You. Use me too.’”
He mentioned it was throughout this emotional plea that he heard a voice inside him, urging him to give up his writing present for Kingdom functions.
“I’ll use you in the event you give up your present at my toes,” the voice instructed him.
Transition struggles
In the meantime, Bamiloye said that at the moment, he was already an completed author of drama scripts and novels.
Nonetheless, his works had been secular, specializing in themes devoid of non secular significance. The divine name to desert his secular pursuits was daunting.
“I didn’t need to cease writing these theatrical dramatic items; I didn’t need to cease writing these adventurous and investigative novels that profited the Heavens nothing,” he admitted.
Regardless of his preliminary willingness to submit, Bamiloye quickly discovered himself slipping again into his outdated habits. Writing had turn out to be greater than a passion—it was an obsession.
“It was like I used to be drugged. It was like I used to be hooked on writing these performs, poems, and novels. I used to be like a drunkard hooked on consuming. I used to be like a smoker hooked on smoking,” he asserted.
Divine name?
A number of years later, already just a few years into ministry, he revealed that he obtained a sobering warning by means of a dream.
Based on him, within the dream, God made it clear that if he didn’t withdraw his secular scripts from the publishers, these works can be utilized by the enemy to undermine his ministry sooner or later.
“Until you obey and urgently withdraw these scripts from the publishing corporations, the satan will use the revealed books to garbage your ministry later in life,” the dream warned.
He famous that the urgency of the message left him with no alternative however to behave instantly.
The pastor disclosed that he knowledgeable his spouse of his resolution and launched into a mission to retrieve his manuscripts from numerous publishing homes.
One of many publishing administrators, a Christian herself, he said, tried to influence him to rethink, arguing that the scripts had been innocent.
“I had come to withdraw my script from publishing. I by no means needed it to be revealed once more,” he recounted.
Consequently, he mentioned that after signing the required paperwork, the manuscripts had been returned to him.
“I hereby submit all my presents at Your toes,” he declared.
In the meantime, he admitted that his obedience, right now, has yielded an considerable harvest.
Mount Zion Religion Ministries has produced numerous gospel movies and stage productions which have impacted lives throughout Nigeria and past, he famous.
“Have I not produced higher drama scripts for the Lord? Have I not turned many drama scripts into nice motion pictures for the Kingdom of God?” he mirrored.
Items, skills divine deposits
Moreover, Bamiloye believed that his testimony was a problem to everybody blessed with a expertise.
He emphasised that presents and abilities are divine deposits, entrusted to males for the growth of God’s kingdom.
“Each present is deposited in an individual’s life by God for the growth of the Kingdom of God. It isn’t meant to serve your pleasures, nor was it given to you to do no matter you want with it,” the revered drama minister wrote.
Citing the parable of the abilities from Matthew 25, he reminded believers that every of us is a servant entrusted with presents by a Grasp who will in the future return for an account.
To him, our skills aren’t our personal. They’re Kingdom property, meant to serve the next objective.
He concluded, “Everybody possessing one expertise or the opposite has been known as to be a servant of God.
“It’s a Kingdom challenge. It isn’t a joke matter; it has to do with the matter of everlasting life. Present and expertise is a kingdom challenge.”