Going Back to My Roots

[Bishop Otha Bell]

It all began on the 3rd floor of my family home in Harrisburg, PA. In June of
1974, in the front bedroom at 2311 North 6th St, I received Jesus Christ as my
Lord and Savior after reading a rain soaked Bible tract that I allowed to dry.
My testimony of the experience I had after reading that tract and praying that
prayer was not something, but "someone" came into that room, filling the room
and me with a presence of such power but also of such love, overwhelmed I sank
to the floor crying but worshipping the God who had just written my name in the
Lamb's Book of Life. I visited that same floor in the same room in the same
house nearly 4 years later. Going to church that Sunday morning, arriving and
intending to attend the Adult Sunday School class, I was immediately interrupted
by a "voice" who told me to go back home. Of course since no one was there
behind me, and since I had just arrived at church, I refused and protested. The
voice spoke again, more firm yet more loving; this time I obeyed, left the
church with a weird look on my face and even a stranger stare from my Pastor.
Upon arriving back home I went up stairs, same room, same floor; laid out on the
floor in my Sunday go-to-meeting suit, opened my Bible, read Ezekiel chapters 2
and 3 and then that same voice said to me, "today I have called you to be a
prophet to my people". I would have yet one more experience on the 3rd floor of
that old house. This time I was in the back bedroom, laying on my bed reading my
Bible, when I looked out of the door and saw myself looking back at myself
laying on the bed. The "me" standing in the door looked like me, but the "me" on
the bed hair on my head and face was white as snow. The same voice spoke again,
saying, "and the Word became flesh and dwelt among them; stay in My Word,
meditate in it day and night". Now to a young boy and man these experiences were
and are a defining moments in life. The LORD God who chose me from my mother's
womb had sovereignly saved, called, and anointed me and set me upon a course
that I still travel these 30+ years later. But and of course I detoured, delayed
and at times helped almost destroy that divine purpose for my life. And you know
the funny thing, it wasn't that many "bad" things I did or got involved in, but
it was a plenty "good" things that almost stopped the train in its tracks. You
know, good things like meeting a girl, getting married, having kids, working a
job, going into the ministry, becoming a leader in the church, moving from
Harrisburg to Philly to Georgia; all good things in and by themselves, but
derailing moments because they seemed good. I have learned that all good things
are not all God things. Of course none of this caught the Lord by surprise. He
knew when He called me, anointed me that I would be sitting where I am today,
being into what I am into today, being happy for life, happy for marriage, happy
for children and grandchildren; but strangely feeling unfulfilled, all good mind
you..but just something missing?? So guess what He did, just a few days ago? No
one but the Lord could take you back some 30+ years in my case in memory and
experience, and speak a word into my spirit; and here is the really weird thing;
it was the same word He spoke those 30 years prior! Well, its up to me now.
Having more days behind me than in front of me now, more body aches, lack of
vigor, gray hair and grandkids! You must know our Lord has a sense of humor; He
confirmed and affirmed again that same Word to now a much older preacher, but
again it has set me on a much clearer path into destiny. So, like Jacob
(Israel), I go back to Bethel! Like Moses I return to Horeb, like Paul I travel
again to Lystra and Berera. I return to my roots; roots of revelatory teaching
and preaching, roots of the office and the anointing of a prophet, roots of one
who saw the Lord after His resurrection! I go to the wall, to keep the watch, to
sound the alarm, to blow the shofar and warn the people..whether they hear or
forbear!