#219 | The True Spiritual Journey of Man – Pt. 1

As I prayed about giving my life to God, hearing God’s voice, and fleeing evil vices, the words of an Igbo song came to me:

“Were mu o, were m ihe did gi mma…”
(Take me, take and use as it pleases you. I have given myself to you. Use me as it pleases you.)

A simple prayer of surrender.

In that moment, a vision opened up to me. I saw a great track and field event.
A long-distance race was about to start. Many runners lined up on different lanes, ready to run.
Strangely though, I was just an observer.
I sensed that this race was a symbol of life itself.

The sharp, startling sound of the starter pistol pierced the air, and each runner sprang forward with such passion and unbeatable zest — or so it seemed.
To my surprise, none of them had moved an inch.
Oblivious to the truth, they were running on the same spot like hamsters on a wheel, exerting energy but going nowhere.
I alone seemed to notice their fruitless struggle.

The runners, however, assessed their progress in the race by the salty sweat dripping down their bodies, glistening their arms and thighs.
They also judged their progress by the amount of energy they exerted.
It was a most fascinating sight to behold.

Then, I sensed the presence of an elder — perhaps one from the cloud of witnesses spoken of in Scripture.
Our hearts seemed to connect; though he said nothing with his mouth, somehow I could hear him speak.
His words pressed into my spirit:

“Beating the air, vanity upon vanity.”

The message settled over me, revealing a truth I could not ignore.

I understood then the warning of this vision.
Many people live their lives chasing after soulish things — things that will perish.
These earthly pursuits lead them nowhere, keeping them stuck in one spot in the realm of the spirit.
It is only the things of the Spirit, which birth life, that will lead to the finishing line.

It became clear that the Lord is seeking people who will run the race of the Spirit, seeking spiritual things — things that will never perish.
But sadly, only a few people are on this race. Their numbers seemed small and insignificant.

At that moment of realization, a scripture came to mind about the dealings of God —
2 Kings 6:6, which says:

“The man of God asked, ‘Where did it fall?’ When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float.”

At the end of each track, I noticed legendary heroes of faith — people I have heard and read about in books like God’s Generals by Robert Liardon.
There stood Kathryn Kuhlman, Charles Spurgeon, John and Charles Wesley, Charles Finney, and others who walked closely with God.

I could not soak in the aura of their presence, as the gravity of the message they represented became clear to me.
I was being led to follow their lives, to follow their examples and how they worked closely with God.
I felt that this task was not just for me but for anyone seeking to run the true race of the Spirit.

Like a soft plea rising from my heart, another song filled my mind:

“My desire,
My desire is to walk with You, my Savior,
On this holy journey until I’m no more…”

This song by Theophilus Sunday echoed in my heart — a call to seek the Lord above all the pleasures this life has to offer.

We are to run a race not of vanity or worldly pleasure,
but like the heroes of faith in Robert Liardon’s book.
We have been called to run the race of perseverance and love.

13th June, 2024
Sis. N.O
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