RIG School of Apostles and Prophets
My Testimony
Three years ago, in September 2020 to be precise, I began to suspect that I was a prophetic personality. This discovery came with no small amount of drama and questions which I have chronicled in this blog. Suffice it to say, though I was hungry to activate this side of my spirit man and grow in my gifting, I was also slightly worried that I may have got the wrong end of the stick completely. More than anything, I was afraid I would be terribly embarrassed if it turned out I did not in fact have this wonderful gift which I had convinced myself I was nurturing !
In my previous blog post School of the Prophets, I explored the different schools of thought when it comes to the matter of training one’s gift in prophetic school. Whilst some people such as myself have no qualms whatsoever about it, others are completely opposed to the idea, being of the view that the gift is freely given by the Holy Spirit therefore He alone should train the prophet. Whilst it is true that the ultimate privilege of refining the prophet’s signature thumbprint belongs to the Holy Spirit alone, it is equally true that God Himself has equipped the sons of men and bestowed upon some the gift of teaching.
On that note, I sought out a prophetic school, one of repute to which the Holy Spirit led me to be trained and equipped in this area. I am forever grateful for the ministry of RIG Nation - Restoring Issachar’s Generation, spearheaded by Prophet Tomi Arayomi. The ministry was birthed out of Scripture :
1 Chronicles 12 : 32
From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.
Under the careful tutelage of the leaders in this incredible School of Apostles and Prophets, I have been able to grow exponentially in my gifting and understand that which I carry. RIG’s mantra is Training People to be Prophets and Prophets to be People. The latter is very important to Prophet Tomi who is emphatic that he does not wish to raise a crop of weird prophets!
I recall my first year as a student, very hungry and seeking to understand myself. The excitement in finding my tribe, forming little hubs within the wider community, making friends for life. I remember like it was yesterday the first time I prophesied to members of the public, completely petrified yet exhilarated at the same time! My graduation ceremony as a year 1 student, and then as a year 2 student the following year. As I stand on the precipice of my graduation from year 3 of RIG School, I cannot help but thank God for how faithful He has been.
The journey has not been an easy one. Indeed many times I have had to muster the strength to carry on. The mind can often play tricks on you - “You’ve done enough, you’ve gone far enough. What are you doing here? Do you even know why you’re part of this experience any more?” In my weaker moments such thoughts would crowd my brain, but I realised that God was testing my endurance; my ability to faithfully carry on with my assignment even when I didn’t particularly feel like it. This was especially true in years 2 and 3 of the course, when the fresh excitement of my ability to prophesy had worn off slightly and the challenging reality of mentoring the more junior students set in! The Scripture that comes to mind is “Thus far, Ebenezer. Thus far, the Lord has helped us.”
As difficult as it has been at times, the reward has been something I cannot quantify. Seeing how a prophetic word can impact someone, seeing them stand a little straighter, hold their head a little higher as they realise that God is with them. Being able to impact people’s lives by being a willing vessel of God, a mouthpiece for the Lord. Watching students submit their dissertations and the subsequent thrill on learning that they are on the list of graduands has been a particular highlight.
In summary, this has been a life-changing experience for me. Not only have I gleaned a well of wealth in spiritual terms, I have learned very practical aspects of the Christian walk including relating with other people, leading with grace and demonstrating the love of Christ to everyone. In the three years since I joined RIG SOAP, I have gone from serving in the hospitality team at church to serving as an usher, volunteering at conferences, ministering on the prophetic team and mentoring several students who have gone on to graduate from the school. The biggest part of my testimony is that I have become - I have learned who I am in Christ, understood my assignment. God has trained me thoroughly and where I have obeyed His instructions I have reaped the rewards ten-fold.
For any would-be prophet out there, my encouragement to you is simple. If you suspect that you are prophetic, let the Holy Spirit guide you. Find a reputable school of prophets and enrol on the course, and when the going gets tough, do not give up - trust me, discouragement and endurance is part of the journey. Immerse yourself in prophetic company and allow God to mould you as you go through your season of training. Words cannot describe the growth I have experienced these last few years.
As for the leadership team at RIG SOAP, I extend my heartfelt gratitude. To Jody Adewale who mentored me during my first year, thank you for being faithful to those to whom God assigned you; we are the first fruits of your obedience. And to Prophet Tomi Arayomi, a man after God’s own heart, may the oil on your head never run dry. To Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit, thank you for leading and guiding me always. I am truly grateful.
Stay blessed.