I Did Not Practice Rituals, Still, God Made A Way

Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. – Psalm 66:12 KJV

There are moments when endurance gives way to divine intervention, especially in moments when loss, fear, and unanswered questions stretch across years, and faith starts to feel fragile. The testimony below tells the story of our brother, whose search for answers led not only to healing within his family but to a whole community. Read how it all happened below:

My name is Brother Michael Obioma. I want to share how God led my family and me to The Lord’s Chosen and transformed our lives.

Between 2002 and 2011, my family went through deep and repeated tragedy. During that period, we lost about eight young men in our extended family. Three of those deaths were directly connected to my mother’s side. Crisis seemed constant. We were searching desperately for answers.

In the course of that search, a friend introduced me to a ministry in Lagos. After attending briefly, I returned to my home in Owerri, Imo State. One Sunday morning, as we were preparing to go to church, I heard my children singing, “Let the Chosen praise the Lord.” Curious, I asked my wife about it. She told me they had started attending The Lord’s Chosen Church the previous Sunday.

I told her I would drop them off at their church and attend mine, then return to pick them up afterward. After my own service ended, I arrived at the Chosen church and met the pastor still preaching, a salvation message. Though I initially thought the message was meant for new believers, it struck me deeply. I decided to step inside. That day, I stayed. I have remained there ever since.

At home, I prayed earnestly, asking God for confirmation if this was truly where He wanted my family to worship. God answered clearly, assuring me that this ministry was divinely backed. From that point on, there was no argument or confusion.

About six months after joining the church, I had a dream. In it, I encountered the angel of my pastor. He welcomed me and led me through my village, then pointed to an anthill and told me to stay back. He struck another anthill, and it scattered completely. He said to me, “What has been troubling you is over.”

From that year, 2011, until today, there has been no premature death in my family.
In 2015, during a church ministration, I was challenged by a question: What have you done for the God who stopped premature death in your family and restored your life? I am a building contractor by profession. Though I often received jobs, I had little to show for them financially.
At the time, our fellowship center in my village, Obo, was only a canopy that leaked whenever it rained. I prayed and made a vow to God: if He helped me, I would build a proper fellowship center for Him. By January 2015, I began fulfilling that vow. By God’s grace, I completed the building, and the church members moved in and celebrated. The fellowship center still stands today.

While laying the foundation, I prayed again, asking God to bring my mother, my siblings, and even the brother who once brought me into Scripture Union into The Lord’s Chosen. God answered. Today, my entire family is in the church. My mother, in fact, became even more committed than we, her children.

In 2022, my senior brother and I had the privilege of meeting our General Overseer. He prayed for my brother, and before I could speak, he also prayed for me. That same year, doors of opportunity opened. My brother, who had borrowed transport money to attend the meeting, returned home financially transformed.

That year also marked a turning point for my community. From 2018 to 2022, Obo had been plagued by armed robbery. After a crusade held in the town, the attacks stopped.
Later in 2022, after the death of our community king, I received a strong spiritual prompting that I should serve as king. I resisted. I was not a title holder. I was not active in town union meetings. I did not qualify by tradition. Yet the prompting continued.

Eventually, I overcame my fear and attended a town union meeting. When I tried to speak, I was told the gathering was not a church meeting. An elderly man insisted they listen to me. I told them plainly that God had sent me to serve the people. I was rejected. They said the constitution disqualified me.

Months later, I received a call: the constitution had been reviewed, and the clause that disqualified non-title holders had been removed.

The contest that followed was intense. I had no backing from traditional leaders. I did not practice rituals. Still, God made a way. During one meeting, six candidates stood. When I spoke, I said simply that my vision was for God’s will to be done in the land. Three candidates withdrew immediately. After elections in February 2023, I won.

Despite attempts to overturn the result, a final election was held in September 2023. With only my church leaders and evangelists standing with me, God confirmed the victory.

When I later met our General Overseer, he prayed for me and encouraged me. Opposition continued, even during preparations for my coronation. But everything changed. The same community that resisted me built a palace for me; something unprecedented. I became the first king in my village to openly stand as a member of The Lord’s Chosen.

Today, that palace also serves as a fellowship center. Four hotels previously known for prostitution have been shut down. Since 2023, more than 24 cases that were taken to shrines were withdrawn and aresolved peacefully. My people now understand the difference between tradition and idol worship.

To the glory of God, I was later appointed the Chaplain Ruler of my community.
All glory be to God.

Are you facing prolonged hardship, family affliction, or battles that seem larger than you? The same God who turned our brother’s story around is still at work today. Join us at any Lord’s Chosen Worship Centre closest to you and come expecting a divine encounter. As God has done for him, so shall He do for you. Your testimony is next, in Jesus’ name.