Myrtle held on to Adonis’s arm for support as she walked slowly to the bathroom. “Seems like my arthritis is getting worse. These old knees of mine ain’t worth two cents.” She got the carton of Epsom salt from beneath the bathroom sink and poured about three tablespoons in the bathwater.
Adonis left Myrtle to her bath and went into his bedroom and lay across the bed. He thought about Monique and wondered what she was doing at that moment. He should’ve seen the sign long ago that she wasn’t serious about leaving Boris. The fact that she didn’t take off her engagement ring was a dead give-away. From his wallet he removed the picture they had taken at the Buckingham Fountain.
Adonis looked at Monique’s smile. Truly, she spread the sunshine in his life. What would he do now? He placed the photo back in his wallet, then stretched his arms behind his head. “Lord, how did You let this happen? I asked You, no I didn’t ask, I begged You not to allow me to fall in love with Monique. Don’t You remember me taking all of that money to the altar? I paid You good money not to let this happen, and You didn’t keep up Your end of the bargain. So what am I supposed to do now, Lord, huh? What am I supposed to do?”
After her bath, Myrtle poked her head into Adonis’s room to say goodnight. She saw him lying on his back with his hands extended behind his head, staring at the ceiling. Myrtle walked in and sat on the bed next to him and saw tears streaming from his eyes to his ears.
“Love hurts, doesn’t it, son?” she asked.
Adonis sniffed, but didn’t answer Myrtle’s question.
“You wanna talk about it?”
“There’s nothing to talk about, Auntie. I put myself out there when I knew she was my cousin’s fiancé. But I didn’t care about that. Monique didn’t come to me, I approached her. And I can’t get angry with her because she never confessed to me that she ended things with Boris. But that’s not even the point, Auntie. It was wrong for me to even go there with Monique. Boris and I are blood. I should’ve known better.”
Myrtle wondered why Monique hadn’t told Adonis that she’d called off the wedding.
“Adonis, if I ask you a question, will you tell your Aunt Myrtle the truth?” He looked at her. “Yeah, Auntie, I’ll always tell you the truth.”
“I know we joked about this the other day, but I need to know. Just how close were you and Baby Girl?”
He knew what Myrtle was really asking him. “We haven’t slept together, Auntie. I have too much respect for Monique to let that happen.”
“The way you talk about her and the way your eyes light up at the mention of her name is the way a person behaves when there is a soul tie between them and someone they love.”
“You know what, Auntie? Monique and I are meant to be together, I know it. We connect in every way. I wake up thinking about her. I go to bed thinking about her. I smell her perfume in the air at work, and I stop what I’m doing and look around for her face. She’s got my nose open so wide, I can smell things that are a mile away.”
Myrtle ran her hand along Adonis’s arm for comfort. “I hate to see you going through this because you’re a good man. I just hope and pray that Boris gets himself together and realizes what he’s got. Sometimes it takes for us to get the heck literally knocked out of us before we say ‘Yes, Lord.’ Maybe this experience was a wake up call for him.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Adonis said.
Arykah sat in the middle of her bed watching the Lifetime Movie Network channel and eating a pint of Baskin And Robbins chocolate chip ice cream. After talking with Monique, she was so angry that she decided not to go shopping for something new to wear to Lance’s church. In her closet was a brand new fuchsia two-piece linen suit she recently purchased at Neiman Marcus. She’d wear it with her brand new fuchsia satin sling back pumps. The telephone on her nightstand rang, and she answered on the first ring.
“Hello, Arykah. Did I wake you?”
A huge grin appeared on her face. “No, but it wouldn’t matter if you did. You’re the only one who can do that.”
“Oh, really?” Lance asked.
“Yes. How was your day?”
“Busy. It’s summer, and everyone wants to get married. So my days are filled with marital counseling.”
The mention of marital counseling brought back yesterday’s conversation with his secretary to Arykah’s mind. “I called you yesterday. Did you get my message?”
“No, I didn’t. What time did you call?”
“I called the church when I got to work and saw the roses you sent. I wanted to thank you. They are beautiful, Lance.”
“Pretty flowers for a pretty lady.”
“You may not think I’m so pretty when I confess to you what I’ve done.”
“I don’t understand.”
Arykah slowly inhaled and let the air out of her lungs. “When I called the church yesterday, your secretary wasn’t pleased.”
“Let me guess. She was real short and nasty to you, right?”
“Yes, she was, but how did you know?”
“Sister Gussie Hughes is an old timer. She’s a charter member that never let me forget that she changed my diapers when I was a baby. She, along with the other mothers of the church, have a hard time accepting the fact that lil’ Lance is now thirty-five years old. Mother Hughes has been the church clerk for as long as I can remember, but I think it’s time for her to retire because you’re not the only one she hassles that calls. She also makes it known that as soon as her granddaughter, Sharonda, gets out of jail and delivers her third child, she and I will get married. Mother Hughes jumps down the throat of every woman who smiles at me. I apologize that she was out of line with you.”
“I wish I’d known all of this before I did what I did yesterday,” Arykah said.
“What did you do?”
“Well, I kinda got angry at the way she was talking to me and purposely let it slip that you sent roses to me.”
Lance chuckled. “That explains why the cup of coffee almost spilled when she slammed the mug on my desk.”
“I’m sorry, Lance. I let her get the best of me, and I shouldn’t have. Are you worried about the church finding out about us?”
“Arykah, I’m a grown man. I’m entitled to a private life. Mother Hughes and everyone else will have to accept that. If they choose not to, I will encourage them to worship at one of the many churches they pass on the way to Freedom Temple.”
Boris turned onto his side and wrapped his arm around Monique’s waist. She removed his hand. “No, Boris.”
“Why not? It’s been awhile.”
“I don’t care. I’m not in the mood.”
Boris put his arm back around her waist. “I can fix that.”
Monique sat up on the bed. “I said no. And if you love me, you’ll respect that.”
“Okay, Baby, chill out. We don’t have to have sex tonight.”
“Not tonight or any other night, Boris,” she said sternly.
Boris couldn’t believe the words coming out of Monique’s mouth. “What?”
“No more sex.”
“Why are you keeping yourself from me?”
“Because things have changed. I won’t have sex again ‘til I’m married. And if you have the strength for sex, you have the strength to go to work.” Monique got out of bed and retrieved a blanket from the linen closet. She took it, along with her pillow, and slept on the living room sofa. She had vowed to become celibate, and she was going to stay that way. Monique had finally learned her lesson. Sex before marriage was taboo. She was living proof of it.
Chapter 15
Arykah walked through the sanctuary doors of Freedom Temple Church Of God In Christ and sat down on the last pew in the back of the church. The choir was rendering in song when Pastor Lance Howell saw her enter.
A minute later, an usher was at Arykah’s side. “Miss Miles?”
She looked at him wondering who he was and how he knew her name. “Yes?”
“Pastor Howell asked that I escort you to the front pew
.”
Oh, my God. Arykah glanced at Lance in shock. He smiled and waved her forward. She was aware of the ‘who is she?’ stares on many faces. Arykah followed the usher to the empty front pew and sat down. She silently prayed Lance wouldn’t ask her to stand and say anything.
After the choir’s second selection, Lance took his place behind the podium. “Praise the Lord, saints.”
“Praise the Lord,” the congregation responded.
“Say amen for the Freedom sanctuary choir.”
Many amens flowed throughout the church. Pastor Howell asked the congregation to stand and bow their heads as he led them in prayer. “Father, we thank You for this time when we can share. Father, we understand and can sense in our spirits the need for the church to return back to the great commission, and that is the delivering of souls. We ask, Father, that there will be such an understanding and openness to receive on this morning. Let revelation knowledge flow in the name of Jesus. Cause our hearts to be prepared. God, break the ground of our hearts. Take out the thistles, the thorns and the stones, Lord, so that when the seed is sown, it can germinate and begin to grow and produce fruit in the name of Jesus. And we thank You in Jesus’ name. We praise You for the deliverances that are going to take place today. For the victory is ours through the blood of Jesus and we give You glory.”
The people were already on fire from the pastor’s prayer alone. “Hallelujah, praise God, glory to God,” they shouted. “Say your prayers, preacher, say your prayers.”
“You may be seated.” Lance turned pages in his Bible. “Turn with me to the Old Testament to Isaiah, chapter sixty-one. And this morning, we’ll began the series of teaching on the ministry of deliverance.”
At that moment, Arykah felt the sermon would be just for her. She knew Lance was going to preach to her about getting over her past with Eric.
“We do understand that in the body of Christ we have some division concerning this subject. But I do believe God wants to bring some clarity this morning concerning the ministry of deliverance. Because if you are in the body of Christ, your assignment is to serve Him. We have an assignment to witness and to set the captives free and I noticed from the Old Testament, Isaiah begins to speak concerning what is to come and what is to take place once Jesus Christ comes to this earth. Something unique and unusual is to take place once Jesus comes. It had to be spoken by the prophet first. And once the prophet spoke it in the book of Luke chapter four, verse eighteen, it was the fulfillment of prophecy. Are you with me?”
The people were hanging on to Lance’s every word. “Amen, Pastor. Teach this morning.”
“In verse one, Isaiah said: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tiding to the meek. He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted and to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of our Lord in the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called ‘trees of righteousness’, the planting of the Lord that He might be glorified. How many of you know that He’s not glorified in anyone being bound?”
“No, sir. That’s right, Pastor,” the people responded.
“He gets no glory out of one being sick in their body. For He said with His stripes, we are healed. And healing is the children’s bread. Beloved, I wish upon all that thouest may prosper and build. His concern is about souls being healthy, healed and whole. Not oppressed, not obsessed and definitely not possessed.”
“Come on and teach this thing, Pastor. Say a word, Pastor, say a word this morning,” an associate minister encouraged.
Lance made eye contact with Arykah. “You have the power to speak release and deliverance over your own life. You can command release. That means there’s power in your mouth to make things change when you proclaim. There are a lot of folks who are captives and are blind and bruised. And God’s anointing must come upon His people to free them. Go with me to Isaiah, chapter ten, verse twenty-seven.”
Arykah and the people found the scripture as Pastor Howell read it aloud.
“And it shall come to pass on that day.” He looked out at the people and further explained. “The day of bondage that the Word is speaking of is the day that Satan tries to invade your life, the very day the kingdom of God that dwells in the heart of the believer is under attack. That day, somebody say that day.”
“That day,” the people said in unison.
Lance removed his microphone from its stand and began pacing the pulpit. “The day that you’re about to give in, and you’re entertaining demonic activity, and worldly lust. The day your soul gets confused and you get messed up in your mind and emotions, contemplating on whether you’re going to serve God or not. That day is the day when the anointing has an assignment. And it shall come to pass on that day, say ‘that day’.”
Half of the congregation was on their feet. “That day, that day.”
“On that day, His burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder. Take your hand and pretend to brush something from your shoulder and say get off me, you don’t belong here.”
The people obeyed their pastor and brushed the enemy off from their shoulders. “Amen, Pastor. Preach this thing.”
Lance rushed back to the podium and continued to read from the book of Luke. “And His yoke from off thy neck. God did not put the yoke you have on you because He said His yoke is easy and His burdens are light. The yoke God puts on you won’t hurt you and cut you and cause you to bleed.” He glanced at the text again and read a bit further. “And the yoke shall be destroyed.” Eyeing the congregation, the pastor said, “Not maybe, not probably, not I hope it will happen, but I’m not for sure. No, no, it shall be destroyed. I need about three people to shout, ‘It shall be.’”
The entire congregation was on their feet along with Arykah. “It shall be, it shall be, oh yes, it shall be. Preach, Pastor, preach.”
“Every one of God’s shall’s are loaded,” Lance said.
Many people agreed. “Yes, Lord. Yes, they are.”
“It shall be destroyed because of what?” Lance asked.
The people shouted, “The anointing.”
“And what is the anointing? It is the presence and power of God on your life. It is the sovereign act of God’s love. He chooses whomever He desires to free. Not because we were so wonderful or deserved it, but because He loved us, we’re free. How many free folk I got in here today?”
Hands were waving in the air. “I’m free, I’m free. Hallelujah, I’m free.”
Lance kept on preaching. “Ministry of deliverance is why God sent His Son, Jesus. Saint John chapter three, verse sixteen says, For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.
“He wouldn’t have given us His Son if He didn’t love us. The messed up condition of this world caused God to make a decision. It caused mercy to come on the scene, and it changed the heart of God when He wanted to destroy all mankind. But because of His love for humanity, it caused Him to say, ‘I missed that fellowship I had with Adam in the Garden of Eden, and the only way I can get reunited in the fellowship of mankind is that somebody has to pay for this.’ Jesus had to come on the scene and become sin to take the punishment that was rightfully ours.”
An associate minister in the pulpit, a few feet away from Lance, removed his handkerchief from his suit jacket pocket and threw it at Lance. “Preach, Pastor. Break it down.”
Lance was sweating. “Jesus had to be the sacrificial lamb to bear all the sins of humanity so that we can be free forever. So the ministry of deliverance started from the heart of God. And when Jesus came, He represented God’s grace at its best. God couldn’t do any better than that. He gave His only Son because He was the only one able to set men free. The ministry of deliverance could no longer be ignored because lives and souls were in danger. That’s w
hy it’s so important for the church of the twenty-first century to embrace the call of the ministry to set captives free, not to bring people to church to entertain their emotions. Because it’s their emotions that are not causing them to be set free. The music, the dancing, the shouting, and the praise and worship is not necessarily breaking and destroying yokes. Just because you hear the drums don’t mean that everybody’s being delivered. You can come to church and hide with your spirit messed up because you won’t let God come into the inner chambers of your soul to bring transformation. It’s easy to look delivered, but God sees what is hiding in your spirit.”
Arykah wiped tears from her own eyes. She had held back until that moment. “That’s right, Pastor.”
Lance paced the pulpit. “To deliver means to set free, to take and hand over. To take you out of darkness and hand you over to the marvelous light. To take you from ignorance to understanding. Come on somebody. Deliverance releases sin from the sinner. You can be in this world and tempted by sin and not do it. That means you can walk in the midst of mess and stay free. God will place you in the fiery furnace and walk in it with you. You walk around free while everybody else is tripping on your attitude when they know you’re going through. They’ll look at you and say, ‘Girl, how can you be happy when your husband left you with five kids? I’d be going crazy if I were you.’
“It’s because of the deliverance of your soul. Because when you’re sanctified from it, you can look at it and say my soul looks back and wonder how I got over. The ministry of deliverance is an act given by the anointing of God through Jesus Christ to remove emotional, physical, and spiritual bondages in the lives of sinners and saints.
Sinners are delivered from sin and placed in the family of God. So now you’re a saint, and your soul needs to be dealt with, and your body needs to be worked with. Because when you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, your spirit is born again. You are a new creature in Christ Jesus, old things are passed away and behold all things are become new. But your soul is where your emotions are, where your feelings are, and where your will is. Your mind is where your struggles, called warfare, take place. The devil is trying to capture your mind. He wants to set up camp in your mind. He wants to reside and live in your soul. He wants to build houses and rent apartments and hotels in the center of your mind. That’s called a stronghold. Whatever issues you’re dealing with that are trying to take over God’s land and trying to cause you to move from your place of victory to a place of captivity, God said the devil will be dealt with. Look at your neighbor and say, ‘Your victory is sure; it’s in the bag.’”
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