Letters From the Wilderness

By Enuma Chigbo

I smiled as I walked down memory lane writing this page. It all started with an Uber ride in Cumming, Georgia, sometime in February 2017. There I was, a tad bit agitated about banking and financial matters, hoping I concealed my feelings as I rode in Pastor Denburk Gregory's car. He invited me to his church, The Full Truth Church of God Deliverance Center; and based on our very first conversation, which you will get to read inside, the letter writing began. Having gotten good responses from the church after the first letter, my work was done, or so I thought, until the Lord put more words in my heart. So there was a second letter, and a third, and this went on and on. Where am I going with this? I wondered. "The Lord says to tell you that you are writing a book," said his wife, Minister Veronica Gregory. That totally astounded me. Many a time I hear over and over, "The things we do are not ordinary." That Uber ride was clearly not an ordinary one. It was a prelude to the birth of Letters from the Wilderness, and to me, this was a clear confirmation of His Word, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" (Heb. 13:2). I do hope you enjoy reading this book even more than I have enjoyed writing it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9781645693314

Book preview

Letter 1

The Ladder

It is indeed with great joy and utmost humility that I write this letter to the Full Truth Church of God deliverance center. I met Pastor Denburk Gregory a while back and thought nothing of our meeting. He drove me from one destination to another and that was it—nothing more. However, my second meeting with him on Saturday, February 11, reaffirmed the saying that nothing happens by mere coincidence. Again, he would drive me from one destination to another, but it was no ordinary ride.

I would learn that Pastor Denburk is a pastor on a mission. I would learn that he is Jamaican, and that opened the door to exciting conversation. I am Nigerian by birth and visited Jamaica for the very first time in August 2013. Interestingly, the Delta Airline flight I was on touched down at Montego Bay on August 6, Jamaica’s independence anniversary. Again, that was not a mere coincidence.

I spent about seven days in Jamaica, and I will tell you that, that was my best holiday ever. I recall one day as I sat in the balcony of my hotel room, I saw one of the most beautiful sights. It was a rainbow, resting beautifully over the azure waters of part of the Caribbean Sea, which flowed freely outside my room. As I marveled at the wonders of nature, His Word in Genesis 28:11–17 came alive:

And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep and he said, surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, how dreadful is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

Beloved brethren of the Full Truth Church of God, Jamaica stands as a gateway of heaven, with a spiritual ladder, and angels ascending and descending from heaven to earth. I would speak this word in a Baptist church tucked away in the lush hills of rural Montego Bay. It was there I heard the cry for revival. The man whom the Lord used to deliver this message, Bishop Anderson, lamented the decadence which loomed large in the land of Jamaica and said revival was coming to the land. Revival would come to those hungry for it.

I sat there, most likely the only Nigerian in that congregation, and asked one question: was I hungry for this revival? My answer, a resounding yes! Indeed, I reiterate, my ride with Pastor Denburk was no ordinary one. It was time to tell him things that had been on my mind, and yes, the storytelling began.

Once upon a time in 2004, I worked as a journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa. I recall one fine evening, during the course of research on a land called Calabar in southern Nigeria, I stumbled on Calabar Boys High School in Jamaica. I wondered what Calabar was doing there and for a long time wondered if there was a connection between the Calabar in Nigeria and that in Jamaica.

For years, this thought was in the spiritual womb of my mind, when time finally came, I knew I had to visit the Calabar Boys High School in Kingston, and that I did. However, the answer to my quest came from Bishop Anderson, who gave me a book written by another bishop by name of Alfred B. Johnson. As I read the book, I had a warm feeling in my heart when I learned the author had visited Calabar. Nigeria. I also would learn later as I paged through that there was a connection between the two lands through the name Calabar.

Calabar Boys High School Jamaica was about 105 years old. Before that, there was a Calabar Theological College set up in the eighteenth century. The high school, which I would learn is one of Jamaica’s best, was set up to cater for the sons of the fathers in the theological college. The founders of the theological college were freed slaves who came off the coast of Calabar, Nigeria. The pristine scenic lands in Jamaica reminded them of where they came from.

That was the end of my narrative, and of course, each end marks a new beginning as we began to talk about a revival in the land of Jamaica. You know God loves your country very much, I said to him, and he was in agreement. I wasn’t just speaking out of turn even as I remembered I heard that soft gentle reverberating through my head when I took my first trip to that land—deep love, it said over and over.

I told the pastor about my visit to the museum in Port Royal, a very interesting place near Kingston, Jamaica’s capital. It was known as the wickedest city on earth. I learned that there was an earthquake in 1692, followed by devastation, and then a tsunami. Undoubtedly, thousands of lives were lost. Many felt the calamity was a sign of God’s wrath.

It’s in the news that there will be another earthquake, said my friend and tour guide, Mark McDermott. He showed me a newspaper article to that effect. It was published in April 2013. I smiled when I saw that. I smiled because of His word which says, Affliction will not arise a second time (Nah. 1:9) All it needs is written in another section of this wonderful book called the Bible, which says, If my people who are called my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chron. 7:14).

Nigeria has a role to play as we also are not devoid of the negatives, which may be similar to that of Jamaica. Since we have Calabar in common, it therefore may be logical to use this land as a point of contact for the two nations. I recall the Word the Lord gave me as I went to Jamaica for the very first time. It was in the book of Nahum:

Look there on the mountains the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed. (Nah. 1:15)

I heard this Word in 2013. Four years later, I meet with a pastor who drove me from one destination to the other. I like the fact that he drove. Cars represent mobility and visions. By the very special grace of God, he will be a driver of this vision. Nigeria does have a role to play even as I stand in the gap to bring the Lord’s Word to pass. Its manifestation, only the Good Lord can tell, but for now, as His humble servant, I do what I do best—write the vision down and make it plain on tablets that he may run who reads.

Delivered on February 12, 2017

Letter 2

The Glorious Church

Again, it is with great pleasure that I stand here before you, beautiful people of the Full Truth Church. I am grateful to the Most High God that my last message was well received. What I didn’t know was that a second message was incubating right there.

I recall quoting one of the Words from the Good Book in my first letter to this church:

If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and I will heal their land. (2 Chron. 7:14)

That very day, that Word came alive in a different way. For the first time, I marveled at the fact that the Lord talked about forgiving the sin of the people and not the sins. This told me that there was just one thing, perhaps an iniquity of a certain type that held the nation in bondage for years, decades, or even generations. Bearing in mind that my last message touched on two countries, I began to ask the Lord to expand this Word, transposing it to the two countries—Jamaica and Nigeria.

He led me to the book of Romans.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God, nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth for a lie, and worshipped and served things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. (Rom. 1:21–23)

Beloved brethren of the Full Truth Church of God, this Word talks about worship of a certain kind, which is evident in the harlot church, a church full of deception and compromise, which has operated and affected us for generations. But the good news is that the Lord is bringing about a new beginning. Indeed, it’s all about new beginnings, turning away from the old and walking in the new. It’s about a shift from the harlot church. The Lord is talking about being totally transformed to a virgin church and transitioning to where He wants us to be—a perfect church without spot or blemish. With this in view, I’d like to refer to words of a man I mentioned in my last message, Bishop Alfred B. Johnson, aka the Village Pastor, a Jamaican missionary who visited Calabar, Nigeria, in 1981. Calabar is a name which Nigeria and Jamaica share.

And so, there I was at Calabar, Nigeria, the seaport town from which many of our ancestors were loaded on ships for the Atlantic trip under subhuman conditions, beaten, chained and herded together like cattle, underfed and undernourished, and sometimes thrown overboard if they rebelled or became sick and deemed not strong enough for the slave market. It was with mixed feeling and choked up emotions that at times I watched the cargo ships sail into the harbor at Calabar. Indeed, it was with mixed feelings that I viewed the beauty but remembered the pain of my ancestors. I had problems reading the advertisement card for tourists which had the invitation, Come and live and be at rest—the acronym for C-A-L-A-B-A-R.

As I read those words, I wondered if the author would have a problem with a newer and different translation for Calabar. I heard this profound translation from a dear sister and friend Apostle Obii Pax Harry during one of her very profound and potent sermons. Like the Village Pastor, she was in Calabar; this must have been sometime in April 2010. I heard another translation for Calabar—Call her back. You see, when the Lord has a covenant with a land, He will never leave nor forsake it, and truly, He is calling us back.

As I reflected on the translation call her back about three years later in Atlanta, it was then I began to see—a virgin land enticed to compromise by an evil voice from the pits of hell. I saw that a simple mistake turns grave as a result of the different nations affected by this act. I saw the misled virgin turn into what the Bible describes as the mistress of harlotries that sold many a nation through idolatries and witchcrafts. Above all, I saw the love of the One who would turn around that which was meant for evil to good by extending His forgiveness to this misled virgin land. Indeed, He is calling back His bride—the church—and this starts us as individuals.

Beloved brethren of the Full Truth Church of God, it’s all about new beginnings and working toward the establishment of a perfect church. I hear a new sound, a sound which will usher in a revival like no other. During my last visit, I heard Pastor Denburk Gregory talk about miracles. Those words, like the name of this church, were full of truth. I must confess that during that visit, I was quite taken aback at the size of the congregation. However, the Spirit of the Lord revealed to me about the intricacy of this new and fresh wave of revival. It is as delicate as it is potent. Brethren, everyone He sends to the Full Church Gospel Church will come with a purpose to complete the perfect picture of His church without spot or blemish. Indeed, upon this foundation He is building, line upon line, precept upon precept here a little, there a little. Truly, this is where I see another of His Word come to life:

See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious corner stone for a sure foundation. The one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. (Isa. 28:16)

Again, there was something the pastor said that remained etched in my heart. God’s instructions are progressive. He will not give you the full picture at once. This is so true because though my message has touched on two countries, there is something about this new wave of revival; it will make a global impact. Again, I will use the events of the eighteenth century. Baptist work in Jamaica then was started by an African American, George Liele, who borrowed money to buy his freedom in Georgia. He became the founding pastor of the First African Church in Savannah, Georgia. I bless the Lord for the United States, where we have all congregated. I bless the Lord for Georgia and for the land of Cumming, upon which this church is situated for now.

I smile as I remember my Uber trip with Pastor Denburk about a month ago. Prior to my ride with him, I asked the Lord to speak to me about Cumming. Days later, Pastor Denburk showed me beautiful landmarks in downtown Cumming as we rode along. After my first visit to the Full Truth Church of God, I tried to do some research on Cumming. Yes, it’s an ancient city, but I did not get my answer from history books or the internet. I got my answer about the land from the Ancient of Days through His Word in Isaiah 43:18–19:

Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up. Do you not see it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wastelands

Beloved brethren of the Full Truth Church of God, the devil himself has stood as an accuser of the brethren in our lands for generations. This is largely as a result of our harlotry. When this happens, the decadence and destruction is enormous. Take the earthquake in Port Royal, Jamaica, for example. It happened in 1692—325 years ago. In recent times, I sought the Lord on the significance of this figure. The answer I received was, The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet, he does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children of the parents to the third and fourth generation.

As it stands, we are in the third and fourth generation, and in the dispensation of grace, where we can be used as vessels to bring revival to our lands. We can take a cue from people who walked in the path of faith. Again, I use the events of the eighteenth century as an example and a point of contact. George Liele, an African American, came to Jamaica in 1783 to work and pay off his debt. He started the Baptist work in Kingston. His ministry increased greatly, and he successfully solicited assistance from Britain. This sacrifice of love was what gave birth to the Calabar Theological College and a school which is 105 years old today.

Indeed, the grace is available for us to do even better than the people before us. As we walk in the fullness of this anointing, vindication is inevitable, and kings from far and wide will be drawn to the brightness of our light.

Delivered on March 19, 2017

Letter 3

The Sound

Again, it is with great pleasure and humility that I stand before this wonderful congregation. I am immensely grateful to you for giving me a platform where I can deliver the Lord’s messages. You see, before my last message was delivered, I struggled so much. The enemy had sown so many seeds of doubt in my mind, but of course, the Lord prevailed.

During my last visit, two words kept reverberating in my spirit—Africa and sound. I pondered on those words and wondered what the connection was to this church. Days later, the Lord took me to the beginning. He reminded me of who I am. I am African, and there is a general saying that Africans are great storytellers, so if you will, I would like to tell you a story.

About this time last year, I was with a friend Ihuoma and her husband. It was her birthday, and we all got together to celebrate. My friend is Igbo—a tribe in eastern Nigeria—just like me, but she decided that evening that she was going to have a salsa-themed celebration. As we may be well aware, salsa is genre of food and dance, largely identified with the Caribbean and Latin American communities. I smiled within me as it was so typical of my friend who is so full of ideas, lofty ideas that I ignore most times, because over time, I have learned never to struggle with what I do not understand.

However, it was something her husband said as we listened to the salsa beat that took me to unimaginable depths. Percussion instruments and the original beats came from west Africa, he said. Salsa music falls into the genre of merengue. It spread in the Caribbean Islands as what we know as calypso. This same sound was taken back to the Congo in Africa, and it takes the shape of what is known as soukous.

Beloved brethren of the Full Truth Church, I recall being part of the praise and worship songs during my last visit and commenting on the words of the songs. Sometime in the near future, these words will have accompanying sounds. It was then the word sound, which I heard during my last visit, held a deeper significance in my heart, and the Lord began to speak again. He spoke about the beats and how crucial it was for new sounds, which will interpret and articulate His heartbeat for the nations.

Then came a follow-up question from my end: What is the Lord’s heartbeat for the nations? In a short while, I got an answer in just one simple word, healing.

Healing, as we may all know, is multifaceted. However, a snapshot of this, as I am led to see and share, is the healing of the mind. This response opened up His Word in the book of Romans:

Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasant and perfect will. (Rom. 12:2)

I am still in storytelling mode, and in this mode, I go back to Africa, using the land of eastern Nigeria where I come from as an example. In the rural areas, yam was the staple crop, a crop largely synonymous with the strength and wealth of the male gender. That was the custom. When it came to planting and seasons of harvest, as the yam seedlings were sown in the ground, they were accompanied by songs, and of course, each song had its own unique beat. The idea behind this, I imagine, was that the sounds, in addition to the sacrifices they made, would water the ground