I woke up this morning to the news of the passing of Dr Myles Munroe, his wife and others in Bahamas. I usually get sad when I hear of the death of someone I knew, but not this time. There was a sense of celebration in me. Celebration of the life of a man who gave his all to make God’s word understood to me, to know the power I have within me. His greatest lesson to me: Die empty. This is something I believe he did.
I first encountered Dr Myles when in college, via an unclear VHS of one of his famous messages called Blueprint. Unclear because in an era where most tapes began with an anti duplication warning from the FBI, his started with a call to make as many copies as you could of the message, so that as many people as possible could hear it!
Fast forward to about two months ago, I received an email from Aflewo asking me if I’d cover this year’s all-night praise, worship and prayer event. It was falling on a busy weekend for me and I didn’t get time to respond. Three days to the event, Paul from Aflewo called and I told him I couldn’t cover as I was attending a friend’s dad’s burial and had a lot of work backlog.
That evening, as I prepared for bed, I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to cover the event. I shared this with Gina my wife and she supportingly said I should do it, despite it eating into time we had scheduled to spend together.
The following morning, I called Paul and told him I’d be covering the event after all, but I’d be there from about 8pm and for only a few hours because of the work schedule I had. He was excited and asked me to get in touch when I arrived at Winner’s Chapel for accreditation purposes.
My Friday became quite packed and it wasn’t until 12.30am Saturday morning that I made it to Winner’s Chapel. I hit the ground running and started shooting even before I got my accreditation from Paul.
You can view more photos here.
As I was taking audience shots, I was delighted to see Dr Myles with a beautiful lady next to him. I figured it was his wife. I’d heard they were in town but didn’t expect them to be here. It was a delightful surprise!
I remember taking this shot quite vividly. I always seek to remain discreet when shooting and it was no different for this one. I was zoomed fully at 200mm on monopod as the lighting inside the Dome wasn’t great. I sought to go unnoticed but Dr Myles noticed me and our eyes locked. It’s like his eyes were saying ‘Take the shot. Take the shot.’ And I did. When done, I gave him an ever so slight Thank You nod and continued shooting.
At about 1.20am, Dr Myles went on stage to share his message for the night / morning. Several people in the audience were dozing off, understandably as majority had come to Alfewo straight from a full day of work or school. Dr Myles wasn’t bothered. He boldly shared the message he’d been sent to share.
He shared from the story of creation in Genesis. How God created an environment then it’s inhabitants: He first made the waters… then the fish. The ground… then the plants. Eden… then Adam. To kill any living being, all one has to do is remove it from the environment where it was put. To kill fish, remove it from water. To kill a tree, remove it from the ground.
Dr Myles shared how historians have found almost all places mentioned in the Bible from Goshen to Jerusalem, Antioch to Nazareth… but not Eden. And that’s because Eden wasn’t a place, but a state of being. A state of being one with God. And satan knew, to kill man, all he had to do was remove him from Eden… remove him from his state of being one with God. And he did it through sin!
Since then, we have been seeking to get back into Eden, to get back our oneness with God. That’s why we have morning glory, lunchtime revivals, keshas and church every Sunday, all in our attempt to get back to being one with God! In Eden, there was no need for Church because God and Adam were one. When Adam was kicked out of Eden, he was no longer one with God and has been seeking to get back to Eden. And in our quest to get back to Eden, terrorism has been born.
Dr Myles expounded on the story of Cain and Abel. How Cain killed his brother because he worshipped differently – he sought to get back to God in a way that was different from the one he chose. And with that murder, we had the first case of terrorism, whose main artery is differences in ways of worship, differences in how we get back to Eden, how we get back to being one with God! Churches hate each other because they do their praise and worship different; religions hate each other because they worship a different God and even when they worship the same God, they seek a point of difference that will make them hate each other.
Dr Myles Munroe shared the word of God with so much wisdom, shedding a revealing light on stories one had heard before. I see him as a man who gave us his all, and died empty, with nothing left to give. And that is how I seek to live my life.
I celebrate you Dr Myles Munroe.
I remember this sermon as I watched it on TV, I thought to myself, is that Mwarv, I cannot wait for the pictures.
Mwarv, thank you for putting this up immortalizing this great sermon and message to a people who we needed it. I truly know deep in my heart that God did something phenomenal that night and indeed that weekend.
Thank you
Could you know anyone who recorded this session either Audio or Video? Been looking for it online to no avail. Or better still, which TV station was it you watched it on? I can ask them for their archives.
Thanks in advance
Please check with the Aflewo team. They’re best placed to give the direction on the video.
Thanks for this share. Had missed out on AFLEWO.
May he rest in peace, surely he accomplish what God sent him to do.
This was the cherry on ice scream for me on that night… Such wisdom…. Such Revelation…. I celebrate the Life of Dr. Myles Monroe with Joy and gladness…. This man left with a life poured out… He lived and accomplished his God given purpose… He sure is dancing with the angels
Oh I remember that sermon. I was at AFLEWO and so tired, thinking I would wait for Dr. Myles and dash off to bed. I remember the sermon so well. You have captured it as if straight from God, Myles and our hearts. I remember the worship afterwards. I remember crying ugly (without restraint). Here is to celebrating the man, the servant of God, Dr. Myles Monroe whom God used amazingly. I am honoured to have sat at his feet from when I got the book understanding the purpose and power of prayer ( which was so profound, I did not finish it). He finished well. Rest in peace, rejoice with the angels.
Amazing how God uses ALL of us – Though I knew of Myles, I would likely never have heard of this profound message were it not for you heeding the prompting of the spirit to cover the event. THANK YOU FOR heeding and sharing Mwarv! God rest his soul in Peace and help us become such effective vessels.
Very good commentary Mwarv! Good job.
Hey Mwarv.
Thanks for sharing this. I missed Aflewo but you made it possible by capturing this story. I echo your last paragraph,
“Dr Myles Munroe shared the word of God with so much wisdom, shedding a revealing light on stories one had heard before. I see him as a man who gave us his all, and died empty, with nothing left to give. And that is how I seek to live my life.”
I too seek to die empty! offload everything before checking out.
God bless.