HIS GLORY GOES WITH US GRACE AKALONU “A treasured document and a life lived with purpose” Dr Stephanie Foster, Attorney, Chicago His Glory Goes With Us Hebrews 11:33-34 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. HIS GLORY GOES WITH US I was hooked from the second paragraph on the first page. I am thoroughly persuaded and reminded by the hard truths it contains, to never settle for anything less than the ‘old rugged cross gospel’ Pearl Kupe, Lawyer, International Consultant, South Africa A glossary of fearless faith in action whilst holding a mirror to me. Once you open the pages; the immediacy of the message could not allow me to put it down. Veronica Ikechi, Family Lawyer, London Power packed +++, read non stop till the end, the writing is Holy Spirit inspired. I am dumb founded. Pastor Oluwakemi Oduniyi, Pharmacist, London A beautifully written testimony with relatable scripture referenced for every experience. It tells of the importance of sound biblical doctrine to be taught, lest we and those we minister to perish for lack of knowledge. Melissa L Soppick, Pennsylvania My attention was drawn and engrossed in the detailed account of an amazing, challenging, empowering, spirit-filled and wonderful journey of faith. Emiliah Muteweri, Falkland Islands, South America This book blew my mind away. I was convicted, I cried, I laughed, and I was truly edified through reading this book. My faith has truly been elevated. Jessica Shepherd, Kilgore, Texas I was inspired to take a deep look within myself and the walk I have with Jesus. Seeing how I was just content with being saved, was not enough. It is so much more. Michelle Wilson, North Carolina II His Glory Goes With Us Grace Akalonu First published in the United Kingdom by Kingdom Books Club All scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible Cited hymns are in the public domain. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced for commercial purposes. This book is for private reading, group studies in discipleship classes as well as in general group discussions in churches and other Christian gatherings. The free distribution of this book is being supported by the generosity of those it has blessed. As you are being blessed, please join in sponsoring and distributing to those who will benefit from the book. For more information and to download a free copy, visit: www.assuringgrace.org email: [email protected] Copyright © 2021 by Grace Akalonu A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from The British Library and The American Library of Congress ISBN 978 1 948291 39 2 Library of Congress Control Number: 2021902232 Design & Typeset: KAFMEDIA, www.kafmedia.com Cover image: Grace Akalonu Kingdom Books Club San Diego California, London England, Chicago Illinois, www.kingdombooksclub.com All Glory Goes to Elohim I am grateful to my husband Apostle George Akalonu and my children, Favour, Elect, Arise, Praise and Destiny for their contributions in editing the book. Special thanks to Stephanie Foster, who has encouraged me to write my life story over the years. I appreciate Pearl Kupe, who gifted a notebook 5 years ago, that has since been a reminder to document my experiences. Many thanks to the intercessors, endorsers and Minister Daisy Amisu who did the transcription. Foreword Books are written for different purposes and addressed to different audiences. Some are written for the shelf, some for the mind, and yet some for the heart. Pastor Grace has given us a piece of literature, His Glory Goes With Us, that is crafted primarily from the heart. As deep calls to deep, so the Spirit of God through the message of this book calls out to the hearts that love Jesus to listen to the voice of their Eternal Bridegroom, whispering in the inner recesses of their hearts. The big deal about this book is that the author wrote about her lived experience of God’s dealings. She has not given us a literature review on the subject of God’s glorious encounters with people but has shared what she has personally heard, seen, and experienced of the reality of Incarnate Glory, Yeshua Hamashiach, the eternal son of God. Her experience was reminiscent of Job’s who declared upon his beatific encounter with God, with the concomitant self-awareness, Job 42:5-6 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Pastor Grace, in a near-death experience, had an encounter with God that was so spellbinding that it is practically impossible for sufficient articulation in human language. Hers was akin to the experience of Paul when 2 Corinthians 12:4 “he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. The author decried the cheap and Cross-less gospel that has bequeathed the church of weak Christians who are not able to FOREWORD stand up for king Jesus in an era that has become increasingly unfashionable to publicly declare one’s stand as a believer in Christ. In her own words, “The ‘plastic cross’ (the cheap and weak gospel being presented today in place of the old, rugged cross) has borne many weak, defeated and beaten-up Christians.” This quality of Christians is a far cry from the revolutionary army that our Lord envisaged when He commissioned His followers to go into the whole world and make disciples of all nations. The church needs a fresh experience of the glory of God that will embolden her to relish the redemptive Gospel of Christ and resolve to live it and preach it with zest. Such experience of glory by Peter, James, and John, on the Mount of Transfiguration, remained an endless source of encouragement to them in ministry. Peter recalled years after, 2 Peter 1:16-18 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased .And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. No shortcut can deliver a life-changing experience in glory. Pastor Grace, therefore, pleads with consuming passion that believers should allow the Holy Spirit to lead them through the entire gamut of heavenly protocols and processes that will leave in them a lingering taste of glory. Pablo Neruda, a Chilean poet, diplomat and 1971 Nobel laureate for Literature, observed, “The books that help you most are those which make you think the most…A great book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and beauty.” This is a fitting description of the book in your hand. You are holding a book that boldly challenges you to allow God to VII HIS GLORY GOES WITH US pass you through the crucibles of real-life experiences to a point where you become fully alive in Christ. Where you can declare unashamedly with Paul, Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. As followers of Christ, we must endeavour to come to terms with the truth that we do not belong to this world. Our citizenship is in heaven from where we are eagerly expecting our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. It is my cherished privilege and honour not only to endorse this book, His Glory Goes With Us, by Pastor Grace, but also to recommend and commend it to you and all who hunger for the inner life of the spirit. This is an excellent book for private reading, spiritual formation, and group studies in discipleship classes as well as in general group discussions in churches and other Christian gatherings. Read it for your spiritual education, nourishment, and growth. You will not regret it. Dr Cosmas Ilechukwu General Overseer, Charismatic Renewal Ministries, & Chair, Global Governing Council, International Ministers’ Fellowship VIII Introduction After a year of intense missions across Africa, the USA and Europe in 2019, I fell sick, passing through the valley of the shadow of death. I have palpitations of unknown origin, which has been treated conservatively over the years, but in 2019 it became worse. In early 2020, my legs became swollen, and I hardly walked up a flight of stairs without getting breathless. Investigations were carried out, but I was not called until February, when I was told that my heart could not pump enough blood to circulate through my body, hence the swollen legs and breathlessness. I was sent for another Holter Test and an appointment was booked with a cardiologist. On the eve of the lockdown, they cancelled my appointment for the unforeseeable future, because of the outbreak of COVID-19. Death knocked at the door four times, and most people that were admitted to hospital with pre-existing conditions did not make it back home.