CHAPTER 18 – BATTLE OF THE BRETHREN

©OPEYEMI AKINTUNDE
AS INSPIRED BY THE CREATIVE ONE

Cain’s Echo

You see when jealousy takes the mic from the spirit, even dreams start turning into warnings and this one gave me goosebumps I haven’t even finished shaking off.

The thing with envy is … it doesn’t just whisper. Once it enters the heart and finds space, it begins to preach.

And Edna?
She had started preaching to herself.
After that family meeting, instead of calming down, she doubled her fasting.

But not the “Lord, cleanse me” kind of fast.

It was more like,

“Lord, expose her.”
“Lord, silence every voice trying to replace mine.”
“Lord, show the church who is truly carrying Your spirit.”

To be honest?

She thought she was praying against rebellion. But what she was really doing?…Was praying against light.

By Thursday, it escalated.

She called a “private midnight prayer” with two other choir leaders … Sister Dami (yes, Dami ) and Brother Gideon.

The title?

“Exposing Hidden Altars.”

She didn’t mention T.J.’s name o.
But all her prayer points were wearing wig and scarf like her.

“Every strange woman lifting hands on holy ground…”
“Every gift that is not grounded in order…”
“Any new spirit confusing old roots…”

They prayed.
They anointed.
They ended with Holy Communion (on top biscuit and Ribena, but God dey.)

Then…

That night.
She dreamt.

I didn’t hear it from a third party.
She told me herself.

Friday morning.
She barged into Mama’s office while I was helping Mama prep her outfit for a widow’s fellowship event.

Face pale.
Eyes red.
Hands shaking.

“I saw blood.”

Mama sat up immediately.

“What kind of blood?”

“It was… everywhere. On my robe. On the choir stand.
Then I saw this old man writing on a wall.
And a voice shouted, ‘You have offered strange fire. Your jealousy has risen as incense before Me!’
Then I fell inside darkness…And a hand pulled me by the neck. Then I woke up.”

The room went quiet.

Mama swallowed hard.
“Are you sure this dream wasn’t from your subconscious?”

Edna blinked. Even me ..I blinked twice.
Then Edna whispered:
“I think I’ve become Cain.”

My chest tightened.

Mama dismissed me with her eyes.
I left.
Quietly.
But my heart was racing.

Because even though she hadn’t said it directly, I knew what she was battling.

That line from Scripture had echoed.
Loud.
Ancient.

“Why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted?”
God had said to Cain.
Cain.
The first brother to turn altar into battleground.
The first man to feel replaced by grace.
The first to let insecurity drive him to violence.
God had warned Him Just like he had sent a warning message to Edna in her dream..
I quickly checked my phone for that Scripture… Gen 4:6-7. It was right there, but the second part of verse 7 was the warning…

“But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

Ha! That was the warning.. That was the blood she saw on her robe. Sin was at her doorstep. May she not Kill T.J out of envy.

I forwarded the scripture to her, hoping the Lord will interpret it further.

Later that evening, Edna posted this on her WhatsApp status:

“Sometimes, in trying to protect the altar, we end up becoming the very thing God is trying to remove.”

Omo. ( Oh Boy!)

Everybody knew something had shifted.

She didn’t come for choir rehearsal that Saturday.
Didn’t text anyone.
Didn’t argue about song list.
Just silence.

But in the spirit?

There was a shaking.

Wahala be like what?
Wahala be like dream wey finally reveal say you dey fight who God sent to help you.
(Trouble is when the Holy Spirit decides to show you that you’re actually the villain in a revival story.)

And me?

I prayed again.
Softly.
“Lord, if Edna still has a chance…Save her.Let this repentance be genuine
Before she puts her hand on something too holy to survive.”

To be continued… ( TO PAY FOR THE THE FULL ACCESS TO THE E-COPY of this Story, Kindly Chat +234-9069926797 to pre-order your copy)

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