Last Breath

One fateful evening, a very influential lady in the city where we lived called our pastor to inform him of his ailing old father, who was suffering from an unknown illness at a prestigious hospital. She had asked that a few members of our pastor’s prayer team come and pray for him.

At about 7p.m. that day, we set out to go and pray for him. What was the prayer point? What condition were we to face at the hospital? We weren’t told the condition of the illness, nor the prayer point. That puzzled me. I checked with my friend to be sure he heard accurately. His response was the same. That piqued my interest. Were we going to a funeral service? Please, God! I had no idea how to perform one and was not prepared to learn one.

We finally arrived at the hospital. On entering, we realized he was a very influential man from an upper strata of society. We got into his private ward, and observed the condition looked hopeless – almost a lifeless situation but he wasn’t dead.

There was a sense of foreboding in the air. It was dark, with chilly death omens lurking around. We found strength in the Word of God. We chose to give thanks to God while trying to figure out how to enter the spirit (please don’t laugh). We started praying, thanking God for his healing. Thanking God for a wonderful life. How did we start praying like that? I noticed a sudden warmth throughout the room, and the supposedly motionless man began to twist on the bed. I’m not suggesting he was resurrected then. No, he wasn’t gone. Something was happening to him.

He began to toss and flip on his bed. Your guess is as good as mine – we sensed God’s power stirring him up. I sensed the old man had only a short time left on this planet. I was saddened because this was a man of renown who had accomplished so much in life and received so many awards, yet gripped by death and now slowly slipping into the other realm.

Inside, I grew depressed. My heart speaks louder than my mouth. I said to myself, “Lord, What do we do for him?” I felt impatient with the passing of time and suggested to my friend that we tell him about Jesus.

We came closer to his bedside and began to declare the Word of God to him, proclaiming Jesus and His words. And the old man started saying what we were saying. With the strength building on him, he muttered the words loudly enough. The icy, awful omen faded away gradually. He warmed up and his face brightened up.

We could see relief on his face. As we left him with a warm smile, I had no doubt in my mind that he was healed. He expressed his gratitude to us. That night, I sensed he received Jesus into his heart.

A few days later, the pastor called to inform us that Papa had died. I was astounded! Sad! I withdrew into a quiet room and meditated about all that had transpired the night we were with Papa. I reflected on the entire scene, Was that why his daughter asked for prayers? Was it his last chance to make amends with his Creator? Was that a triumphant exit? That day, did he accept Jesus as his Lord and Saviour? Did he really mean what he said?

There was an assurance that dropped in my heart that he confessed Jesus as his Lord and Saviour for the scripture says in 1 Corinthians 12:3 (NLT) “no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.”

I clung to the happy hope that he reconciled with His Creator and embraced Jesus as his Lord and Saviour before death took him away. I couldn’t question God why he hadn’t been cured, but I was enraged at the man’s helplessness in the grasp of death.

I know that we will all return to the One Deity who is not only holy but also righteous. Too holy to behold sins, otherwise, He would be like us. His Eyes are too holy to behold iniquities. But why is mankind not rushing to that God? What made mankind to stray away from Him, making comeback difficult for many?

Click the number to continue to the next pages:
Page 1: Are You Alive
Page 2: Last Breath
Page 3: Is There Hope For Me
Page 4: I Want Him Now
Page 5: You Are Raised From Death
Page 6: New Life
Page 7: Next Steps