LOVE YOUR ENEMY

 

ENCOURAGING WORDS

T.B. JOSHUA

Referring to many portions of the Bible and particularly to Job 29:24, Prophet T.B. Joshua dwelt on the theme of love and encouragement. Using Job 29:24 as a case for consideration, he remarked that Job means that a look of approval at those in trouble or need gives them hope and assurance. Identifying with those in need as a Christian is precious to them. On the other hand, says Job, looking at the other side when your neighbour is in trouble is ungodly. Loving your enemy is always unreasonable unless you realise that you were an enemy of God until He forgave you. It is also His will that you remember that you have sinned and been forgiven, for it is that remembrance that creates a forgiving heart towards your neighbours. To love an enemy is to see him as Christ does. The issue is not resolved until forgiveness is voiced and received from the heart. Do not allow confrontation to tear you down or pull you apart. Rather, see confrontation as a means of coming closer together, going together and being prepared together for an ever greater relationship. Do not reject anyone on account of weakness because the future is a mystery. You cannot say what will happen tomorrow; someone you reject today may be your strength or helper tomorrow. A person who is a thorn in your flesh today may be your helper tomorrow. If I reject you on account of your weakness, I also reject your strength. If a person is weak in one area, he may be strong in another area, the prophet concluded.

ANOINTING WATER DELIVERS COUPLE FROM DRUNKENNESS

Mr and Mrs Shindume of Namibia were among those who shared their testimony. According to Mr Julius Shindume, he had been a drunkard for 24 years. In fact his wife, Vineyard was also a drunkard. The couple had gone to many places in an effort to stop the ugly habit without success. Luckily for them, their neighbour, a nurse who was a member of the Emmanuel TV team to Haiti, received some Anointing Water from Prophet T.B. Joshua when she visited The SCOAN. At home in Namibia, she invited the couple, prayed with the Anointing Water and ministered it to them. From the moment that the Anointing Water was ministered, the ugly habit stopped.

Testifying to the goodness of God

Mr Shindume reported that he had lost his job and was rejected by his family for his drinking habit. Holding his wife to himself in tears, he recollected how she had prayed fervently for him to deliver him from the shame. In her testimony, the wife confirmed that a week after praying with the nurse, they attended a burial ceremony of her husband’s sister but surprisingly, the husband never drank alcohol there, in spite of its ready availability there.

In his advice to his listeners, Julius asked them not to lose hope but to have faith in God who has answer to all problems.

 

ANOINTING WATER ENDS STAPHYLOCOCCUS

Testifying to the glory of God.

 

Mr Jonathan Awewor of Delta but resident in Rivers, Nigeria narrated how he saw himself passing out blood for urine sometime in 1999. When he met his doctor, he was said to be suffering from staphylococcus. It also affected his sperm.  In reaction, a friend brought the Anointing Water to him for ministration. When he had prayed and ministered the Anointing Water, he dreamt that night that he saw a worm coming out of his finger.  After the dream, he went for a second test where he was told to be staphylococcus free. He advised all his listeners to get the Emmanuel TV cable and apply the Anointing Water in faith and the rest would be testimony.

 

 

ANOINTING WATER ENDS YEARS OF SETBACKS

 

No more setbacks

Mrs Ebere Uzonma, a media practitioner from Ebonyi, Nigeria took turns to tell the congregation about the goodness of the Anointing Water upon her life. In her words, her life before then was characterized by challenges, setbacks and disappointments.In fact, behind her media glamour was real hunger, she added. She received the Anointing Water last year and met the man of God who told her, ‘Go, your problems are over’. Thereafter, she had been praying daily with the Anointing Water and ministering it on herself in faith and today there is much difference in her life.  About 11 pm one day, she received a call which had since then changed her life. That singular call had brought many jobs to her as a media practitioner. She had left her government job and established her own magazine, The Kings. She was able to renovate her house which got burnt and also bought a new car. Her mission to The SCOAN was to thank God for the breakthrough received through the Anointing Water. Advising her listeners to believe in God, she added that they should take a step forward to the Source of power and blessing.

 

ANOINTING WATER VOIDS OPERATION

God can use any medium to express Himself

 

 

Mr and Mrs Chukwuka of Adamawa, Nigeria told the congregation that they had come to The SCOAN with the difficulty of delivery because the baby inside her womb was overweight, weighing 3.8 kilos. The doctor then prescribed an operation for her. She added that she lost her first baby for the same reason. In The SCOAN, they received the Anointing Water which they prayed with and applied. Moments after, labour started and by evening the same day, she had delivered her baby. She never even got to the hospital before her overweight baby came out safely! The couple thanked God for His mercy upon their lives.

 

 

 

PRAYER POSITIONS BABY FOR DELIVERY

The power of prayer

A video clip introduced the case of Mrs Nnena Ezema, a Nigerian in Cotonu, whose pregnancy could not be delivered because of wrong positioning as diagnosed by her doctor. She however, shunned the operation suggested by the doctor because she had done one before. She then came to The SCOAN, where Wise Man Racine prayed for her. At the time of prayer, the baby was already weak and no more kicking.  However, the grace of the Lord was present and soon after the prayer, she delivered safely. She advised the congregation to have faith in God with whom all things are possible.

 

 

PASTOR DELIVERED FROM THE RAVAGES OF IDOLS

Pastor Nneka Ekeleka from an idol worshipping community in Imo, Nigeria came to thank God for her deliverance. In her words, her father had been the custodian of the community idols in addition to his personal one. The birth of a new baby was usually an occasion for dancing and offering animals to the gods from which both adults and children in the family fed. Her father at her marriage gave part of the oracle to the father of her first husband. The two children she had in that marriage died.  Her second marriage broke down the same day. In her third marriage, they, realising the evil the oracle had caused in their family, persuaded their father to do away with it. That very night a demon attacked her in a dream and her father died. After the death of her father, her brother organised a crusade in which many oracles were burnt but they could not locate their father’s oracle. In an effort to get rid of her spiritual problems she underwent deliverances in many churches. During this time she attended a Bible School and at the end of her the course was made a pastor. Her final deliverance in The SCOAN in the hands of the Wise Men warded the demon from her life. In his reaction, her husband who watched her at home on Emmanuel TV during the deliverance, thanked God for his wife’s freedom from the bondage of the devil.  Prophet T.B. Joshua praised her for her efforts, adding that if not for her efforts to be delivered, she would have been dead or seriously sick in a wheel chair. He promised a meeting with her where he would tell her the area of her calling.

GIRL DELIVERED FROM EATING CEMENT

With God all things are possible

An 18 – year old girl, Portia accompanied by her mother, stunned the congregation with her odd habit of eating cement  and charcoal as revealed by her mother. She cultivated this habit five years before and grew with it till her mother brought her to The SCOAN. Portia revealed that she found all of these items sweet to eat. The habit, she said, developed five years earlier at a construction site where cement was being used.  She inhaled the scent of an opened bag of cement at the site and was attracted to it. Thereafter, she put the cement powder into her mouth and found it enjoyable.  Later, charcoal came in to diversify her menu.  In a string of surprises, Prophet T.B. Joshua, rather than proceeding to deliver her after she had confirmed the habit by eating these items in everybody’s presence, decided to use the medium of one of The SCOAN prayer lines.  In a phone conversation between her and the prayer warrior,

Deliverance in the power of the Holy Ghost!

Portia described her odd habit to the prayer warrior who, in turn proceeded to pray for her. At the mention of the name Jesus, Portia fell in deliverance and was declared free from her demonic addiction to eating cement and charcoal. On getting up after the deliverance, she said she had a sensation within her during the deliverance and that she became lighter than before.

To God be the glory!

Given those items which had been the mainstay of her diet, she withdrew at the sight of cement and charcoal, saying that as well as being bitter, they had lost their appeal to her as food.  She advised the young ones not to eat anything that is not food but make God’s Word the standard for their lives.

MASS PRAYER TO IDENTIFY GOD’S VOICE

Taking the lead in a spirited mass prayer, Prophet T.B. Joshua asked the congregation to pray to God to grant them the grace to be sensitive to His voice when He calls so that they would not be deceived by the devil. “Help me to be sensitive to Your voice. When it comes, let me know that it is Your voice.” The mass prayer session, which witnessed wild display among many who were demon-possessed, ushered the congregation and Emmanuel TV viewers alike into a spiritual level where the devil can no more exploit their ignorance to deceive them. The service closed on a note of excitement as many left delighted about the new spiritual realm.

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WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE

After the songs of praise and worship by which the day’s service commenced were over, Wise Man Daniel proceeded to give the message entitled, ‘Trusting In Christ’s Suffering’ by which he reminded the congregation that Christ died on the Cross to provide our needs which he said were healing, deliverance, blessing among others. He cited 1st Peter 2:21-24 as his proof text. Dwelling on the significance of Palm Sunday, he averred that that the Lord’s instruction regarding the donkey was characteristically not vague. Jesus is a Man of vision who says what He means and means what He says. His was instruction in boldness, certainty, righteousness and power. His rebuke was for our peace. His death was miserable and His disciples must be ready to bear His cross. By His suffering there is assurance of life for us.

ANOINTING WATER STOPS ISSUE OF BLOOD
After the prophet’s usual introductory remarks about the new Anointing Water, there was a surge of congregants wishing to testify to the instrumentality of the Anointing Water. The first person to enjoy the opportunity of giving a testimony was Mrs Elizabeth Aghachiebonam of Ebonyi State, though resident in Abuja. Her problem, according to her, was the issue of blood for two years. She recounted the trouble her husband had taken to find a solution for her in hospitals and churches without hitting any success. The problem started as internal heat and generated pain all over her body making her pass through sleepless nights. While people would be sleeping at night, she would see herself restless and reeling in pain. Coming to The SCOAN on the Thursday preceding the Sunday of testimony, she said she received the Anointing Water immediately on arrival and administered it on herself in compliance with the instruction. As soon as she applied it, the bleeding stopped. She happily told the congregation that she had started enjoying her nightly sleep and comfort of body following the staunching of the blood. She seized the opportunity to advise her listeners to have faith in the Lord, their Creator who is always there for them in times of need.

ANOINTING WATER OBVIATES OPERATION
The next testimony was given by the Akhere family. Mrs Akhere had been told by her doctor that she would require operation to deliver her baby because of her tight cervix. She therefore visited The SCOAN to seek the face of the Lord. She received the Anointing Water and administered it on herself in prayer for safe delivery. After this, she delivered her baby safely without operation. They named their baby Harry after Wise Man Harry. They profusely thanked God with whom, they recognized, nothing is impossible.

ANOINTING WATER AND GOD’S OMNIPRESENCE
The omnipresent nature of God was demonstrated with the Anointing Water in many parts of the world. The video clips revealed the work of the Anointing Water in other countries of which Greece was one. The clip showed a woman, Shaze Qualli who for twelve years depended on crutches for movement. The Anointing Water dispelled all the darkness in her and delivered her from all pain and infirmity. Another man who depended on crutches for movement was also delivered in the same way. There were many who, hitherto in the throes of contrary spirits, fell down under the anointing of the Holy Spirit and were delivered with the administration of the Anointing Water.

A similar feat was revealed in Ghana where a woman who had not been able to walk for years was declared free by an evangelist spraying the Anointing Water on her and she responded immediately by standing up to walk. A young man was also freed from evil spirits and he thanked God having been delivered through the medium of the Anointing Water. Mr John, a sergeant in the Ghanaian army, had for five years been incapacitated because of an injury he sustained in an accident. Spraying the new Anointing Water on him, an evangelist declared him free and he resumed walking immediately.

ANOINTING WATER RESTORES HEAD TO SHAPE
While the congregation was engrossed watching these miracles from other countries, an evangelist in The SCOAN had seen a young man in the church arranged in the prayer line because of a development in his head which made the head assume a very abnormal shape. The evangelist proceeded to spray the new Anointing Water on the head and, soon after, pus began to ooze from the head miraculously. In no time the head regained its normal shape after all the pus had come out. This was possibly the greatest miracle of the day as the evacuation of the pus left no mark or scar on the head after restoring the head to shape.

MARITAL UNDERSTANDING ACHIEVED
The next was the reconciliation of Mr and Mrs Elizabeth Aghachiebonam as hinted in the previous service. The next paragraph entitled MISUNDERSTANDING WORDS OF PROPHECY was their story in a nutshell at the end of service the week before. But to the glory of God, the couple reappeared on the platform this Sunday to thank God for their successful reconciliation and for the grace of understanding and appreciating each other the more as a couple. The very striking element of the reconciliation was the dream, Stella, the wife had in which she was told by Prophet T. B. Joshua to remove the ring and bangle on her hand. Contrary to her thinking that she never had those ornaments on her body to remove, the prophet proceeded beyond her skin into her bone to dislodge those ornaments which were an attestation to her union with a spiritual husband. The removal of these ornaments by the prophet marked a turning point in her marital relationship with IK, her earthly husband. The prophet once more appeared to her in a second dream and advised her to relate well to her husband and make ‘forgiveness’ a watchword in their marriage as there is no perfect person or relationship on earth. By the time she wanted to react to the prophet in the dream, he had vanished having laid a formidable spiritual foundation for the marriage. In his reaction, Mr Ikechukwu thanked the prophet for the effectual reconciliation. He added that they had been to the Mountain to pray in the effort to restore peace and love to their marriage. He once more thanked God and the man of God for the restored peace in their marriage.

MISUNDERSTANDING WORDS OF PROPHECY
The next video clip was among other reasons activated to correct the culpable presumptions among the congregants regarding the import of prophecies issued to them. In the said repartee between Wise Man Christopher and Mrs Ezekwelome,the latter corrected the wise man erroneously about her marital status. When Wise Man Christopher cautioned her to be careful about disappointments, the lady misinterpreted the expression and promptly told the wise man that she was already married. Making himself clearer, the wise man told her that he knew that. He was, on the contrary, simply warning her about the possible collapse of the marriage if care was not taken. Luckily for the wise man, her husband was around to add that he had sent her home the previous week because of her perceived misdemeanour. Defending herself on the last score, Mrs Ezekwelolome, a non working housewife, deprecated the repression she suffered in the hands of her husband who additionally habitually made her account for every kobo she received from him. She strongly felt that her views and wishes to engage in some private business deserved consideration by her husband. In his defence, the husband stated that apart from taking full charge of her education, he had sponsored her trips to France, Egypt and the United States of America. Her recent wish to go to Dubai for business in gold would put the entire family at risk apart from rendering him the sole caretaker of the children. Speaking on behalf of the womenfolk, about four women in the congregation expressed support for the husband and praised him for his consideration for the welfare of the entire family while advising the wife to be contented with the contributions of the husband to her well-being. The prophet, while inviting them to a reconciliation meeting, expressed the view that a marriage where both participants saw themselves as equally gifted in sophistication and intelligence and neither was ready to bow to the other was indeed a difficult one to manage but with God all things are possible.

MAN DELIVERED FROM IMPOTENCE
Mr Ameni Shabani of Congo DRC mounted the platform to confirm his deliverance from impotence last Sunday during the service. He had lost his wife to a houseboy because of his inability to dose sexual gratification to her. He lost his sexual virility when he was made to drink some concoction and wash himself with the water. He said his wife accused her of not finding time for her but added that he spent all his time looking for money for his wife in order to make the home comfortable. Both his wife and the houseboy took advantage of his loss of virility to redefine their relationship and started a sexual intimacy resulting in the loss of the wife to the houseboy. Mr Shabani added that his eloped wife later told him that only one of the two children they had together was his. It was for that reason he decided to leave both children for her till when he hoped to establish his paternity by DNA. Both ex-wife and houseboy now live together in South Africa. In answering the prophet’s question, Shabani stated that it was painful to lose his wife to a houseboy but in his state of loss of manhood then, there was nothing he could do. He was however happy for his deliverance which has put him in a position to consider getting married again. He expressed the hope of coming to The SCOAN after marriage on ‘a thank you mission’ with his new wife. He thanked God and the man of God for his restoration.

INTREPID JOURNEY TO SEE PROPHET
The next testimony was given by a young man, Mr Jeff Katanga from Zambia who came all the way from Zambia crossing not less than seven countries in a very long, tortuous and dangerous journey to Nigeria. The young man in question lost both parents recently in quick succession and found himself the caretaker of his siblings. The only hope for him in the present situation when he suddenly became the father of his siblings was Prophet T. B. Joshua. He saw the prophet as the only man who could offer him and his siblings financial help, going by what he had gleaned from Emmanuel TV. It was for that reason that he borrowed money from a widow and travelled from Zambia through Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Chad and Cameroon to Nigeria. He particularly had challenges in Sudan which was half way between his country and Nigeria because of the civil war there. He was encouraged in his state of penury and physical exhaustion by the fact that if he could get to the Prophet, his condition would change for the better. He spent a total of thirty days on the way before getting to Nigeria on 19th January 2011. Unlike what many would do, he never wanted to shout to the man of God for help but decided to remain prayerful and fasting till God would reveal him to the prophet. He had decided not to be led by his situation because, as he learnt from Emmanuel TV, in every situation God is saying something. He deliberately took refuge in the vicinity of the church till God would reveal him in his plight to the prophet. Truly, when the prophet became aware of him, he welcomed him with the words, ‘You are in your Father’s house’ and promised him that when he would go back, he would enjoy a flight in contradistinction to the risky manner in which he had travelled to Nigeria. In response to the question on what he would have done supposing he never saw the prophet on arrival, he said he would have nigerianized rather than repeat that ordeal back to Zambia. The man of God praised him for his faith, courage and dogged will to succeed in life assuring him that he could see a bright future for him. The man of God however made it clear that his warm reception of the young man should not serve as an incentive for other young men to embark on such risky journeys. Assuring the congregation of prompt resumption of prophetic worship at 10 am the following day, he piloted the service to a close.

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GOD’S WORD WORKS WONDERS

TO HIS POWER NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE
In a spirited sermon to awaken the congregation to the power of God,

Prophet T. B. Joshua reminded the Church of the greatness of God and His ready disposition to forgive sins, however grievous some of these sins may be. In his words God is capable of doing anything and also forgiving any sin. To His power nothing is impossible. Breaking in on the choral music which had been reverberating all over the Church and to which the congregation responded in unison with elegant steps, Prophet T. B. Joshua enthusiastically spoke on the forgiving spirit of God with copious illustrations. In his words, the past is forgiven. We have seen a sinner’s character healed, the drunkard becoming sober, the harlot becoming chastened and the liar becoming truthful. “What then is the fear?” he asked the congregation. He spiritedly reminded his listeners that if they trust in God, that trust will save them. Trusting in the suffering of Christ is enough to save us, deliver us and make us whole. He concluded the sermon by advising the congregation to remain in trust.

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

Wise Man John Chi introduced his message with a series of questions. How do we achieve a desired goal? Who wants to be saved? What must I do to be saved? He aptly referred the congregation to Acts 16: 29-32 which provided the answer to his questions: Believe in the Lord and you will be saved. According to him, God has promised salvation for whoever shall trust His Son. Race, age brackets, academic qualifications, wealth or any other attribute cannot save us outside Christ. If you are willing to be saved, Jesus is willing. Jesus brings hope and succour to those who trust Him. He is the bread to the hungry and road map to the lost. Whatever you are, you need Christ to be saved. God has a role to play in your salvation just as you too have a role to play. It takes your willingness and God’s ability to bring about your salvation.
Our hearts and minds must be reset to agree with God’s plan for our lives. You must get rid of those things that derail you from God. You cannot experience peace under the dominion of satan. Satan is sin. Another name for satan is sin.

Quoting Psalm 51:7 as a reference text the Wise Man admonished the congregation on the need to be cleansed of sins. According to him King David saw the need to be cleansed. Wash me with water whiter than snow and remove all impurity. David knew he would not have place in God’s kingdom unless he was washed from sins. In his sins, David could not see anything other than the fruit of sin: failure in the family, in the battle field etc. Unless you are cleansed of your sins, your blessing will receive challenges. The attitude of repentance and faith in your heart keeps you closer to God. Mistakes are correctable. If you make a mistake, don’t run from God; run to Him. Because David ran to God in spite of his sins, he remains one of the greatest Kings in Israel today. Your Father in Heaven has anticipated your sins and prepared for you. You have not committed an unpardonable sin. Our lives are in God’s hand and we cannot please Him without a thorough reformation of heart and life. God requires a heart that does not bear grudges. Doubts and unbelief put us on the wrong track. Jesus loves you just as He does any of His children. Jesus is able to forgive all our sins, he concluded.

THE SPIRIT OF APOSTLE PAUL HAS ARRIVED IN MACEDONIA
Wise Man, Harry and his wonderful performances in Macedonia attracted his comments. The prophet told the congregation that the crusade in Macedonia attracted a large turn out of participants. It was so wonderful and even comparable to those spiritually hosted by the prophet himself in Indonesia and Singapore. It had to be extended to the following day i.e. Sunday and Monday. Wise Man, Harry also revealed to Prophet T. B. Joshua his vision to be in Macedonia especially close to Paul and Silas’s prison for tourists to see the wonders of God.
A clip on the wonderful works being performed by Wise Man, Harry surfaced on the screen and the congregation watched with rapt interest.

RECONCILIATION OF BROKEN HOMES

Mr and Mrs Ifah brought out their children and Mrs Ifah, the spokesperson accused their daughter, Judith of witchcraft before the entire congregation. She narrated how a baby of hers died mysteriously after a period of excessive stooling. She painted a picture of lack of peace in their family and of the sickness of her husband which had defied healing.

The daughter, Judith Ifah confessed to being a witch and added that it was the result of the fruit juice which she accepted from one of her classmates. She said she told her mother the dream she had after taking the juice and her mother prayed for her. She revealed that the giver of the juice asked her to bring their baby to the coven and that was the cause of the baby’s death. She said that she ate the baby. She also revealed how she was advised to use a rope to tie her father to his bed and cause his health to deteriorate. All these feats would attract to her a second position in the witchcraft world.
In reaction, Prophet T.B. Joshua advised parents to bring up their children in the way of the Lord to have peace. The child in question was left in the hands of satan because of the parents’ carelessness. The prophet pronounced Judith a witch or demon possessed as presented by the parents.

He then asked the parents to lay hands on her and ask every unclean spirit to leave her. That was how Judith was delivered. The prophet however warned both parents not to call her a witch after the deliverances.

INTERNET VICTIM
A lady by name Memory, from Zimbabwe but living in South Africa confessed how she was hoodwinked promises of monetary offers on the internet. She was taught incantations which she mastered but none of the promises materialised. Instead, her marital home became bedevilled with problems to such an extent that she used the police to eject her husband from the home. She then pleaded with the man of God for deliverance. At the exclamation of the name, Jesus by one of the evangelists she fell down and was delivered.

ACCUSATION OF WITCHCRAFT

One Emmanuel Chijoke and his relations all of the Abraham family from Enugu complained about the problems of setback and deaths in their family attributing all this to their mother.
The genesis of the accusation was a crusade in Abuja at which one of Emmanuel’s cousins was a participant and where he was told by a man of God there that their mother was the brain behind all the woes in the family. The said man of God was then invited to Enugu where he confirmed his earlier vision that their mother was a witch and that only her head and shoulders was human; the chest down to the feet was vulture in appearance. Surprisingly to the family, their mother could not refute the accusation by the man of God. She complained that at that time, her eyes, ears and mouth were muffled and she could not talk.

She then challenged the family to take her to anywhere and they would realise that she is not a witch. This was the reason they came to the SCOAN.

In his verdict, the man of God pronounced the woman witchcraft negative and ordered the children to kneel down to her in apology.

FOOT ULCER HEALED
Before the prayer line, the participants of which were zoomed on the screen,

a lady, 20 year old Miss Sulman who was healed of foot ulcer came to give testimony and also made to show herself to those in the prayer line to reassure them of their healing.<img src=”http://thetbjoshuafanclub.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/10-10-10-g-4.jpg?w=200&#8243; alt=”" title=”10-10-10 [G] (4)” width=”200″ height=”300″ class=”aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1990″ />

HIV AIDS TESTIMONIES
Three men and three women who were healed of HIV AIDS came to give their testimonies. Among them who spoke was 27 year old Mrs Motunrayo Sowemimo,
who was tested positive with Hiv aids type one in the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja.

After the prayer line where she was declared free, she said she became stronger and ate with more relish.

She went back to the same hospital for another test but thanks to God, she was Hiv negative this time.

SCHOLARSHIP BENEFICIARIES
Miss Oduwole Olayinka, a youth worker in the church who came bagged 1st class (Electrical/Electronics), University of Lagos also got a scholarship award from the Church to do a Master degree in one of the best universities in the world. She consequently applied for admission and was offered same in three good universities in the United Kingdom. These were the Universities of Southampton, Edinburgh and that of Surrey.
She picked the University of Southampton as the best and the Church paid a total sum of £13,900 as her fees. Later and in consonance with the man of God’s crave for the best, the University College, London, offered her admission. Without hesitation, she changed her mind and picked the latest offer. A total sum of £18,245 was paid as fees for her to start classes on the 11th of October 2010.
The man of God seized the opportunity to advise the congregation to always look for the needy to help rather than waiting at home for the needy to come to them. In this way, according to the prophet, they would not be helping the wrong people.

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Testimonies In The Church – T.B. Joshua (PALM SUNDAY)

The service at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations began with the usual morning prayer followed by an inspiring Easter message by Evangelist Racine titled, “INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS”.The man of God, T.B. Joshua came into the service about 10:20 am. He wished everyone a happy Palm Sunday and urged all believers in Christ Jesus to continue to live in the glory and majesty of His resurrection. According to him, “Easter is all about love, redemption, forgiveness, repentance and forbearance. It is time to confess in faith. Whatever a man confesses in faith, he shall receive because our confession solves the problem. Our confession is our present attitude towards God. Therefore, we should be very careful of what we confess. Your confession is what God says about your situation. Let the Spirit of God guide you in whatever you say or do. The confession of our lips should have our heart’s full agreement. Do not say “Amen” because T.B. Joshua says, “in the name of Jesus Christ”, say “Amen” because you believe. This is the traditional or conventional way of life in which most of us were brought up. If you say, “Amen” when you do not believe, it’s like you are working against yourself because a wrong confession hinders the Spirit’s work in our body. If I say, “Show your excitement” and you are not happy, do not bother because you are in the presence of God.”
After the brief message, the prophet talked about the confirmation of the prophetic message concerning an Asian country given on the 14th of February 2010, which he expounded upon last Sunday, the 21st of March. He had prophesied earlier that we should pray for an Asian country, saying, “Those who lodge in hotel, I see an Asian country. I see a place where thousands of people lodge being burnt.” He mentioned that the event would take place in an Asian country with, “IN” at the initial letters of the spelling of the name, adding that he would set prayer warriors to pray over this matter.

TB Joshua

He ended by saying, “Fast and pray on Tuesday.” Last Sunday, 21ST March, the prophet repeated the prophecy, this time giving the name of the Asian country in question. He said, “Pray for India. Remember the country in your prayers. Fast and pray on Tuesday”. In direct confirmation of the prophecy, breaking news footage on CNN on Tuesday showed a report of the fire outbreak in a historic eatery and residential building in Kolkata, India. The prophet noted that if not for God’s intervention, thousands would have lost their lives.
Next, video footage featuring the update of the activities of the Emmanuel TV Haiti Earthquake Relief Team was shown. The reputation of the Emmanuel TV Haiti Earthquake Relief Team has grown to the extent that some large international aid organizations such as OIM and Shelter Box have begun to contribute to their efforts. So far, a large amount of educational materials and large tents have been donated to the Emmanuel TV Team in confidence that in their hands these supplies would get to the people who really needed them most. The Team visited orphanage homes in Arcahaie where they provided several tents as well as educational packs, water purification tablets and medical assistance for the children.
The Team also visited refugee camps outside the capital Port-au-Prince, where they gave out over 20 tents to the most vulnerable people who had been affected by the earthquake. More partners and friends of Emmanuel TV from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and Greece joined the Team in Haiti.
The Team from Greece, the most recent group to join the Emmanuel TV Haiti Earthquake relief team in Haiti, took with them a large amount of medical supplies and other essential materials needed at the Emmanuel TV field hospital, Clinique Emmanuel.
SCHOLARSHIPS
During the service, over 30 students from various schools and universities in Nigeria and other countries who are all a part of T.B. Joshua’s scholarship scheme received their school fees, accommodation, feeding allowances as well as 2 bags of rice each for the new term. Among those who spoke in appreciation of T.B. Joshua’s benevolence was Benjamin Aduna Kwane, a Ghanaian and BSc. student of Administration in the University of Ghana, who the man of God granted a scholarship in August, 2009.

Scholarship For Students

He has completed his first semester and has come for fees for tuition, accommodation, feeding and projects for the new semester. He concluded his speech by saying that not only has he benefitted financially and spiritually from the man of God, as have many other students but also that he has learnt from the prophet’s act of giving which he sees as worth emulating. In his response, the prophet said that there is no greater will than to raise people in righteousness by offering support and assistance to them without any condition attached so that after their university education, when they are better placed, they would also be a help to others.
The total sum received by these students was 3.1 million naira for their school fees, accommodation, feeding and other needs in addition to 2 bags of rice for each of them.
PROPHECY
Among the numerous people who received messages of prophecy through the prophet that day was Mr Kunle Adeyemi who came to The SCOAN last Sunday because his job was terminated. During the service, the prophet prophesied that there was a man named Kunle who had two homes, two “wives” but only one of them was known to his family. Concerning the second wife, the man of God revealed that there was a plan by certain criminals to attack Mr Kunle one early morning when he would be in the house.

Prophecy

If he was not killed, he would become a “dead-living”. After the prophecy last Sunday, the prophet invited his wife and him for reconciliation and the service today witnessed that reconciliation as Mr Kunle’s wife graciously forgave him.
PRAYER LINE

Prayer Line

After this, the man of God proceeded to the prayer line section where thousands of people were waiting to receive succor from the Lord for their various problems.

Testimony

The prayer began as usual with those who came with bodily afflictions such as leg ulcer, swollen belly and body, hernia and cancer cases, followed by those with difficulties in walking, mental disorders, epilepsy and similar conditions. Then came people who were diagnosed HIV/AIDS positive from different countries before those with general cases such as stiff neck, fruit of the womb, stomach ulcer, diabetes, hypertension, liver, kidney and heart problems and so on. There were many foreign visitors from various countries also in attendance. In course of the prayer, Prophet T.B. Joshua also ministered the new Anointing Water to the sick and they were all healed. The first service ended at 2:20 PM.
TESTIMONIES
The second service started with testimonies from those who had received healing from using the Anointing Water. Firstly, Mrs Okonkwo Chinwe who came with lumbar spondylosis and was using a lumbar corset and knee braces to ease the pain, was healed through the new Anointing Water at the prayer line. Mr Joshua Ovwo who suffered from the problem of stiff neck due to cervical spondylosis and consequently was using a neck collar was also healed through the ministering of the Anointing Water at the prayer line.

Anointed Water Testimony

Thirdly, Mr Oviemuno Amraidhe from Delta State testified of how he came to the church a few months ago and the Anointed Water he received from the man of God broke the yoke of barrenness in the lives of his wife and two other women. Mr Amraidhe’s wife, Christy Amraidhe, was diagnosed with the problem of inverted womb. One of the two other women was his brother’s wife, Mrs Ugbosu Sylvestina, a legal practitioner and Mrs Adline Blessing who suffered a tubal blockage due to blood clotting in her tubes. After they all had Anointing Water sprayed into their mouths they met with their husbands and are now seven months pregnant.
Praise and worship by The SCOAN choir followed the testimonies until the prophet returned to the church auditorium to begin the mass prayer. The prophet asked the congregation to rebuke the spirit that kills, steals and destroys and to remove the hands of evil spirits from their affairs.
During the mass prayer, the man of God dished out astonishing prophetic messages. The first prophecy concerned a lady who the man of God said was under the church gallery and was a prostitute living in a hotel. With tears flowing down her face, Miss Rosemary came forward to confirm the prophecy. The prophet said that this lady came seeking deliverance and she must not return to the hotel. After her deliverance, Prophet T.B. Joshua said that people of God should join hands to restore her. Another case was a lady the man of God described as tall, light in complexion and aged 32. The prophet said she was a bed-wetter and that it was an attack. She also possessed a ghost spirit and any man who met with her would in turn, bed-wet.
Prophet T.B. Joshua also gave a national prophecy. He said, “Let us pray for our countries and ask God to redeem your land. I see a flag being brought down. Which country? I see three. One and two were wet but now the third. Wet flag cannot fly but goes down. Pray for your country for redemption.” Then the song, ‘God’s intervention’ was sung while the congregation reflected over the prophet’s words. After the song, the man of God gave instruction to believers worldwide to observe fasting on Tuesday and Thursday concerning the prophecy.
The service ended around 7:00 PM rounded up with the deliverance of some of the people who had received a word of prophecy including the prostitute and the lady who used to bed-wet. Join us again next week for the next live service at the SCOAN to witness the evidence of Jesus Christ which is lives changed, Only on Emmanuel TV. Emmanuel! God with us.

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In From The Cold…

Prophet T.B. Joshua re-unites a young girl abandoned in 1996 at the age of nine over witchcraft allegations with her mother

Oghenefejiro Iworo, a female Urhobo cultural music dancer from Ugheli, Delta was only nine years old in 1996 when she was abandoned by Esther, her mother. Her reason for taking such drastic action against her child was because the little girl was alleged to have belonged to the evil world of witches and wizards.

Wild accusations of witchcraft...

Esther claimed that she consulted a witch doctor in Ughelli who confirmed that her daughter was a witch and was responsible for the hardship and misfortunes she had encountered in life, including separation from her husband.

The witch doctor had taken the little girl to her shrine in Eku, tortured her by using a sharp knife to inflict deep cuts on her cheeks. The blood extracted from the deep cuts was then given to the girl to drink before she allegedly confessed that she was a witch.

The witch doctor then warned her mother that unless she disowned her daughter, she would use her power as a witch to kill her. She therefore advised her to take the girl to Badare Wegereva, her mother-in-law whom she alleged to have initiated Oghenefejiro into witchcraft.

Esther who believed what the witch doctor told her about her daughter was angry with her. She, therefore, did not hesitate to take her to her mother-in-law at the Ugheli market where she was trading, called her a witch and left the girl with her. Badare was dumbfounded as she could not understand why her daughter-in-law could publicly call her a witch and even accuse her of initiating Oghenefejiro into the witchcraft world.

Afraid that the little girl could actually be a witch as her mother claimed, Badare equally rejected her and took her to her maternal great grand mother who was in her 80s. Although the aged woman accepted her great grand daughter, she could not take care of her.

The little girl had no option than to become a street urchin. She roamed the streets begging for alms and later joined street kids who taught her how to smoke cigarette and having illicit affairs with men. No matter how Oghenefejiro tried to struggle for survival in life, the stigmatisation and abandonment by her mother continued to haunt her.

However, she later joined an Urhobo cultural dancing group but still lived a wayward lifestyle. It was in the process that she was impregnated by Dafe Iworo, a butcher from Ekakpame, Delta State who married her. Already, Oghenefejiro has given birth to a baby boy.

Unknown to Oghenefejiro’s mother, her decision to disown her own daughter 12 years ago had become a curse to her. Despite the fact that she left Ughelli for Lagos in search of greener pastures, Esther who is a caterer continued to have nightmares as she could not even fend for herself.

She, therefore, decided to seek divine intervention by going to the Synagogue Church of All Nations where T.B Joshua told her that she was suffering from a generational curse because she accused her daughter falsely of being a witch.

He told her that the curse would continue to haunt her until she is reunited with her daughter and begged her for forgiveness over the stigmatisation she was subjected to because of the accusation.

He also told her that the generational curse started from Micheal Akatakpo, her 60 year-old father who was an idol worshipper. Esther admitted that her father had similarly called her a wicth when she was nine years old. She, therefore, had to travel to Ughelli with pastors from the Synagogue Church of All Nations where they searched for her daughter until she was found. She also brought her father to the church where Joshua delivered them from the generational curse.

Joshua said it has become common for some parents to abandon their children in the streets over the allegation that they are witches. He wondered why a mother should subject her own child to such a traumatic experience. “It is rather unfortunate that a mother who carried a child in her womb for nine months or more, laboured to bring her forth, would later stigmatise the child as a witch and throw her away from her home into the street,” he said.

Worried by the trend, Stepping Stones, a UK registered charitable organisation is working in conjunction with the Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network, CRARN, to transform the lives of children who have been stigmatised as witches and wizards.

Gary Foxcroft, programme director, Stepping Stones Nigeria, said their aims are to tackle the problems of ignorance and superstitious belief in child-witchcraft as well as eradicate the torture of children stigmatised as witches.

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‘My Invisible Chain’ – TB Joshua

Another interview Pastor TB Joshua granted The Week Magazine of Nigeria…

Prophet Temitope Joshua of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations, Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos, explains the source of his strength and vision, and his care for the aged and needy, to The Week team of Clement Okitikpi (MD), Oluwasegun Abifarin (Editor) and Emeka Ngwei.

'My Invisible Chain...' - TB Joshua

How did the ministry start?
Well, I want to start by saying that no one in the world is born with great knowledge. You become what you are; you discover what you know. But if I begin to tell you the genesis of the ministry, we won’t leave here today. Discovery is for forward lookers. So, no one is born with great knowledge.

I was in a trance for three consecutive days, then I saw a hand that pointed a Bible to my heart and the Bible entered my heart and my former heart seemed to immerse with the Bible immediately. Then the awareness came and I saw the apostles and prophets of old with someone whose head I could not see because He was tall to the heaven and suspended, which I believe was our Lord Jesus Christ sitting in their midst. I also saw myself in their midst. After a while, I saw a hand of the same tall man, I could not behold His face, which was glittering with an unimaginable light, tall to the high heavens and suspended in the air. But other apostles I could see their faces, particularly Apostles Peter and Paul, Prophets Moses, Elijah and others. Their names were boldly written on their chests.

I heard a voice saying, “I am your God; I am giving you a divine commission to go and carry out the work of the Heavenly Father”. At the same time, the same hand of the tall man gave me a small cross and a big Bible, bigger than the one that entered my heart with a promise that as I keep pressing in His time and name, I would be given a bigger cross but if I fail the opposite would occur. I also heard a voice of the same tall man, I could not see His head, saying, I am the Lord your God who was and who is – Jesus Christ, giving orders to all the apostles and prophets. The same voice said to me, “I would show you the wonderful ways I would reveal myself through you, in teaching, preaching, miracles, signs and wonders for the salvation of souls”.

Since then, I have been receiving in my vision, every year according to my faithfulness to God, a bigger cross that means to me more responsibilities.

What was on your mind when you started the ministry?
That is one important area. For instance, I have been alone here (in the prayer mountain) for the last five hours. I dreamt of a place like this – a swampy area, neglected, where people or government will not dream of coming. I come here, sit here, read and meditate. Above all, I know that I am a product of grace, not the works of righteousness which I have done. I am weak; I am nobody, without formal education. What I want to say is that God has manifested His strength in my weakness. It can also be explained that I am like a dog without teeth. When you have a house and you keep without teeth as a guard, each time the enemy comes, it will bark and then the owner will come out to do the work.

Sometimes, your miracles look like magic…
When it comes to power, God Himself is the power. God often uses foolish things to confound the wise. That is why people like me will ever be grateful to God. In terms of knowledge, education and name, I am nowhere – a neglected stone. I think that is why the persecution was too much. Everything about me is nothing, nothing. But I think no man should boast.

When you were young, did you have any idea that you will one day go into pastoral work?
Then, when I was very young, one thing I knew then and that still happens to me now, is that there is an invisible chain, invisible padlock. What I want to touch, I can’t touch; what I want to say is not what I am saying. Where I want to go is not where I am going. What I want to wear is not what I am wearing. It is like there is a restriction. That has been my experience right form when I was young. That is why you will never find or see me accusing or condemning somebody. I have always restored anyone who has done any wrong in a gentle way, instead of condemning the fellow, because I know it is not by my power that I am doing the right thing.

So, I will say the work of righteousness is not my work; it is my faith in His work. The work of healing is not my work, but by faith, healing is done. The work of deliverance, great and mighty deliverance is not my work, but is my faith in Him. It is not the works of righteousness which I have done, but according to His grace. I am a product of His grace.

What’s the difference between Joshua as a person and Joshua as a prophet?
You have two natures in one person – the human and divine nature. Take our Lord Jesus for instance, for his human nature – he was a descendant of David, and for His divine nature – he was raised from the dead by the power of God.

As for TB Joshua, I am a descendant of my family in Arigidi-Akoko in Ondo State, Nigeria – but as for the divine nature, the power of God affects my life to give peace to people, deliverance to people and healing to people. Apart from the power of God, nobody would have noticed me or known where I am. So, it is the power of God that brings the difference, the challenges and an uncommon persecution. Uncommon blessing attracts uncommon persecution. Common blessing attracts common persecution. Uncommon progress attracts uncommon attacks.

Is the Ikotun Headquarters the only branch in Nigeria?
No, we have branches in Akure, Port Harcourt, Jos, Kogi and outside the country also. When you get to the church there, you will see at least 30 different countries represented. There are here to take the ministry back to their countries.

You are on satellite with Emmanuel TV, which is quite expensive. Where is the funding coming from?
Money. Something unbelievers can have should not be a problem to a child of God. Dubious and unrighteous people, they have money. How much more a man of God? So, what are you talking about? Unbelievers, they have money and throw it about. So, let’s talk about something unique. Money is not a unique thing. It is common. You see, everybody talking about money, money, money. Anybody can have money – but let’s talk of what anybody or everybody cannot have. Even the cathedral, anybody can have it. Even satan can build a big mansion; it is a question of money.

It is like you are a prophet without honour at home and among your people.
Even Jesus Christ was not popular among His people. Even till today among some Jews. We thank God for that, because if Jesus had been restricted to only His people in Palestine and Jersualem, how will people like you and me know about Christ and the Kingdom of God today, not to talk of preaching the gospel and becoming a pastor or prophet.

And even here in Nigeria, most of the popular pastors at home anchor their popularity at home on their fame abroad.

Are you also planning to go to the Lagos-Ibadan Express Road to establish a camp ground, as it is the fashion today?
Right from my youth, I have learnt not to go with the crowd. If we are in the same business of selling shoes for instance, if you are selling in Tejuosho (Yaba) market, I won’t go there. I will find another market to sell my own. That way, we are spreading. This swamp, which is our prayer mountain, is our camp.

When you also look at the missionary works outside the country, you will see all the men of God going to Europe and America. I have decided to face the Asian continent. That way, we are fulfilling the mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ to take the gospel to the end of the earth and make disciples of all nations.

What is the motivation for your help to the old and the aged?
My help is not only to the old people, but to the lonely, the weak and the poor in society. The Bible says charity and faith in Jesus Christ go together. When you say you have Jesus by faith, without the work of charity, it is nothing. This does not mean however that charity alone is enough to bring us to salvation, but it forms the basis for judging our level of kindness – because looking the other way when your brother is in trouble is equal to rejecting Christ Himself.

Then, going to the issue of aged people, in this part of our world, it seems it has become a crime to be old and aged. Even many of those who are well to do in our society, the will build a house and put their old and aged in the backyard, as if they are no more useful. But we want to tell the world that it is not a crime to be old and aged. It is time to show appreciation to God for using them to bring us into this world.

The time they cannot work again is the time we should take it upon ourselves to take care for them, like babies. The life they gave us when we were newly born, it is time to give them back now they are old. It is not the time we should isolate them, put them in isolation.

Rejection and isolation are also deadly and incurable diseases like AIDs. We are even praying for God to give us the grace to build a beautiful resort where we can bring them together and properly take care of them, give them medical attention and those who have not travelled before, we fly them outside the country for them to enjoy the best of pleasure, before they die.

For how long have you been planning this?
We have been on this for the past 10 years. It is not just now. These people have been lonely and isolated for a long time, and that has killed many of them. It is not just now that we jump into it, we have been showing that love that Christ gave to us.

I want to tell you that our position in Christ Jesus is enhanced each time we help our fellow brothers.

What has been the reaction of these people and their relations to the program?
Some of them – in fact, many of them, don’t even know me. They only see me on the television screen.

Apart from the aged, do you have programmes for other categories of the needy?
Yes, not only the aged – the Lord is also using us to cater for other categories of people. We have a program for the dwarfs and the destitute. We have also given scholarships to many university students. I don’t know any of these people, and we are not doing it to receive ‘thank-you’ from them.

How did you locate these people?
I believe many of them are not in Lagos. You people live in Lagos, and put your old people in the village.

People say you appear to them in their dream. Can you clarify this?
God can also use you. Don’t be surprised that people can dream and see you. If God can use the pool of Bethesda, He can use anyone. He uses horses and camels. God can use anything. And I want to tell you that everyone is created with a gift, and each gift is meant to meet a need. It is your gift that God will use to bless others through you. So tomorrow, God can use you to appear to other people, and to pray for them.

How much is the church investing in this care of the aged project?
For the past nine years, we started the whole thing with about 1.5million but it has gradually gone up to N6million per month. But I must tell you, my brothers, that I don’t have enough to live a flamboyant life because of all these. I even have some students that I gave scholarship to in Ghana, and many other universities in Nigeria.

It is a rare privilege to do this. We may think we are helping them. No, we are not helping them. Our position in Christ Jesus is enhanced each time we help our fellow brothers. It is a real privilege to be in a position to give. This is what Jesus meant in Matthew 25:45, that whatsoever you do or fail to do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me. In other words, Jesus has no farm where He expects you to help Him or an office where he expects you to carry files. He said my farm and office are your fellow brothers.

A lot of churches are getting into the business of establishing universities. Are you thinking along that line?
What God has commissioned me to do here is to care for these people – the destitute, the needy and the poor. So that church here can have a theology school. That is all. I should not dabble into the issue of university. Theology, from primary school to university – that is my calling. I should not dabble into science or law. Anyone that wants to study law or science should go to University of Lagos!

SOURCE: The Week Magazine – Vol. 26 No. 26

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Prophetic Birth: A Wednesday Wonder

In a touching story, Africa News reports the incredible miracle behind Mrs Joy Everbright’s safe delivery, following a prophetic revelation from TB Joshua…

It was an eruption of euphoria in Delta State, Nigeria, as a baby girl was born amidst supernatural circumstances…

Mrs Joy Everbright testifying with her new baby!

In the midst of the large crowd at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations on Sunday June 7th 2009, Pastor TB Joshua spotted Joy out with a pinpoint prophetic revelation. “There is a woman here – you are due. This is 11 months. Come out. You have been booked for operation. This is a baby girl.” Evidently shocked, Joy rushed forward. TB Joshua then prayed with her, telling her directly: “You will deliver your baby on Wednesday.”

The next week, Joy returned to the church to share her remarkable testimony. She had safely delivered her baby girl on Wednesday at 9:30am, precisely as the pastor had said. A medical doctor from the Bahamas who was present during the service confirmed, “This is indeed a miracle”, stating that an operation was the only medical option available in such a circumstance. What baffled the crowd most was the pastor’s prediction of the exact day of the baby’s birth, a declaration evidently made under divine influence.

Joshua used the occasion to explain the function of a pastor, saying: “Pastors are sent to utter the deep things of God for the conviction of sin, and for edification and comfort.” He further lamented “ministries of empty talk”, stating that many pastors don’t dabble into the area of prophecy today for fear that it will expose their lack of authenticity and authority. He reminded the congregation of the biblical standard in Deuteronomy 18:22 – “If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken.”

In the same service which was broadcast live on Emmanuel TV, a couple from South Africa shared a similar testimony. Barren for 10 years due to a low sperm count and inverted womb, Mr Pieter and Mrs Gene Van Zyl joyfully explained how prayer from Pastor Joshua had wrought an incredible miracle. Now several months pregnant, Gene spoke of how the pastor had told them two years earlier that she would conceive, and admonished them to hold fast to God and His promises. “God can definitely do it for you” she encouraged the excited crowd, now that the promise had become a reality.

Pastor TB Joshua has garnered a reputation for his prophetic prowess on both a personal and international level. Recently, he is said to have prophesied the death of former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyn, the tragic plane crash in New York on Feb 13 and the release of Ingrid Betancourt from the Colombian jungle last year. The President of Ghana, John Evans Atta Mills, has publically acknowledged Joshua’s prophetic ministry, stating he had accurately revealed to him details of his three-round election victory.

Concluding his sermon, Pastor Joshua said: “The prophecies of the prophets of old became signs. Each sign said: ‘These men are from God; their message is true; believe their words.’ ”

SOURCE: Africa News

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Reflections On Prophet TB Joshua At 46 (2) – Chiji Okafor

Chiji Okafor adds more reflections on Prophet TB Joshua at 46, as published in today’s edition of ‘The National Life’…

It is amazing that anybody who lays claim to being a pastor of God (like Pastor Oritsejafor of the PFN does) should be talking about mentoring in matters of the faith as if talking about some rookie artisan being shepherded into ‘freedom’ from his master’s workshop. Such drivel simply speaks volumes of the man who utters it. It reveals the depth of vulgarity to which our ‘modern’ men of God have allowed the gospel of Jesus Christ to sink.

Anybody who boasts in God’s vineyard about his mentor and such other inane subjects as earthly endowments has simply not imbibed the lessons of Christ’s personal life. Jesus Christ the Son of God could have been born a prince, if He so chose. On the contrary, God made man, decided to come into this world, the son of a wretched carpenter born in, of all places, a manger and side-by-side animals! He had neither an earthly mentor, nor did the Bible tell us that He had doctorate degrees in sacred theology and dogmatic philosophy.

TB Joshua At 46

In His divine wisdom, God chooses whom He crowns king and decides whom He endows with any gift He likes – and we all have our different gifts. Anybody who challenges this wisdom of God Almighty blasphemes against Him, by querying His authority.
So, why would God choose a humble, even innocent, or bucolic Temitope Balogun Joshua for the enormous anointing he has received? Why didn’t He pick one of those blue-blooded, Oxford-trained peers of the realm?

One cannot exactly tell and neither can anybody else, for that matter. However, having watched Pastor Joshua very closely these past few months, followed with keen interest, the documentaries of his early ministry and his teachings and other activities on Emmanuel TV, physically witnessed his Sunday healing and miracle services at the Synagogue Church and had numerous private audiences with him, I have been privileged to glean a few facts and to learn a very important lesson about faith, from this soldier of Christ.

As humans, we usually crack in the daunting face of adversity. In fact, at some point, many of us not only give up on God, we even dare to turn against Him. In the case of Prophet Joshua, the harder the battle to survive, the greater his loyalty to his God appears to be. I have never seen anybody with such unshakable faith in what he believes, such optimism that may even look to an observer during those his ministry’s early years as mere folly.

Anybody who has seen that documentary on his early ministry, of his first church (a miserable looking shack, with about 20 worshippers) and the optimism with which he prophesied how the whole world would soon come to Synagogue Church, would simply be awed by the power of the living God and testify to His glory. A little later during those early years, Prophet Joshua who leads by example went down to such fine details as personally cleaning the toilets of the church for three long years. As he says, “In order to be able to manage success, I had to first learn how to manage poverty”. As bad as things were then, Pastor Joshua was always seen ministering to his flock with a broad smile, even as his first, second and third churches, drowned in flood waters.

In contrast to those humble beginnings, today’s Synagogue Church of All Nations is an intimidating edifice that has become one of the world’s biggest tourist destinations! If there is anything I have learnt from the story of Pastor Joshua, my interactions with the prophet and his church, it is the humility and faithfulness of God Almighty Himself, towards those that maintain abiding faith in Him, in the face of all odds. This is what Prophet TB Joshua always teaches: “Of all graces, FAITH honours Christ the most; of all graces, Christ honours FAITH the most.”

Those who today want to give Christianity a highfaluting image and discriminate against their fellow men either do not know, or simply forget its humble beginnings. The cross, the banner under which all of Christendom gathers derives from an ancient mystical symbol, which many may refer to as (sorry for that derogatory word) pagan.

The Celtic cross, a religious symbol seen all over Britain, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, has a long history that presages Christianity itself. Its four arms are interpreted as the four elements of earth, wind, water and fire. It also represents the four directions of the compass – north, south, east, west – and the four parts of man – mind, soul, heart, and body.

This is also the basis of the Jewish Tetragrammaton, represented by the Hebrew letters, Yod, He, Vau, He, with the last He, bearing a dot, symbolising completion, just like the shoot of a dormant seed. Those four Hebrew letters, together, spell out Yahuvah, or Jehovah, the elements that emanated from the Divine Essence at the point of Creation, as documented in the first chapter of Genesis. I had written extensively about this in the past and the correlation between this Biblical account of the beginning of space-time and the Quantum Theory in particle physics is indeed amazing!

One and the same concept runs through most major mystical-religious concepts of all civilisations, worldwide, from ancient, so-called primitive African and Amerindian cultures, to Indo-Chinese, European and Arabic cultures and more. This universal symbolism is seen in the Popol Vuh, the Holy Book of the Quiche Maya of South America. It is the Yin and Yang of Taoist China, also symbolised by the Dance of Shiva, in the Indian Sanskrit.

Back here, in Africa, this same symbolism is seen in the ancient drawings of the Dogon of Mali, as it is in Ghana’s Adinkra culture. It is the Creation Snake that Wole Soyinka talks about in his “Idanre and Other Poems”, which the Igbo celebrate in the New Yam festival, the basis of their four market days and their lunar calendar, depicted by the Uli motif of the kola nut head.

Ancient Egyptians equally celebrated the feast of Eostre in honour of the goddess of fertility and the endless cycles of the death of winter and the birth of spring. The Romans borrowed the same practice and baptised it Saturnalia. It is this very old belief, depicted by the image of the Egyptian Ankh or the Crux Ansata, which found its way into Judaeo-Christian theology, that the first Christians adopted and celebrated as Easter, directly borrowing its name from the goddess: “Unless the grain falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies it brings forth much fruit.” (John 12:24).

To think that the symbol of the very basis of the Christian faith, the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary and the power of New Life in the Risen Christ, had its humble beginnings in the faiths of peoples we would now rather turn up our noses at, as pagans, is a lesson in God’s own humility and mysterious but wise ways. It teaches us never to look down on anybody but rather, to embrace all. From the high priests of quantum physics, to the lowly African chief priests and sages, to our modern, “funky pastors”, we should have nothing but respect for our fellow man, for it is only God Himself who can tell who worships Him in truth and in spirit.

This is another major lesson that Pastor Joshua teaches everyone with his unique ministry. At the Synagogue Church, you find people of all races and creeds. You find the very rich and the very poor, the homeless, beggars, everybody, side-by-side. You even find grandmasters of the occult that have come to receive deliverance. Nobody discriminates against anybody and people are actually encouraged after receiving their healing, to go back to their respective churches or mosques.

I am yet to see this in other Pentecostal churches and this ecumenism, I believe, is the message of Christ’s mission while on earth.

SOURCE: Chiji Okafor – The National Life

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TB. Joshua’s encounter with M.K.O. Abiola… Remembering June 12th

June 12th will ever be printed in the minds of so many Nigerians as the day that politics and democracy was beaten by rivalry, jealousy and opinion. It’s all about a man, known as M.K.O. Abiola who won the election hands down, but never spent one day as the president.

In 1992, M.K.O. met a strange man who prophesied this very occurrence. Below is an article taken from the publication ‘Faith Cometh’ that gives full details of how this encounter took place…

M.K.O. Abiola - the man who won the election but never ruled

It is often said that when God talks, the wise listen. God often uses men as instruments of His wisdom. Why is this a lesson that many learn only in retrospect? If we could live our lives over again, what warnings would we heed? What advice would we ignore? An encounter with a true prophet of God can change the course of the history of one’s life forever.

What you are about to read is the narration of an encounter between the late Chief MKO Abiola and Prophet T.B. Joshua, as narrated by journalist turned businessman, Otunba Andy Anibor.

F. C: Welcome to Faith Cometh. Can we talk to you sir?
A.A: My name is Chief Andy Anibor. I am the Bobagunwa of Ilaro and a businessman.

F.C: What is your relation with the Synagogue via the prophet?
A.A: In 1992 when I was working with the Guardian Newspaper as Chief Correspondent, I was the one sent by the office to cover the launch of a vessel bought by the late business mogul Chief M.K.O Abiola in faraway Germany. When we returned to Nigeria, a relationship had begun and developed and he asked me to resign my position with The Guardian to become his (Abiola’s) Protocol Officer.

During that period, I had the opportunity of meeting the man of God and that was in 1992 when the church was still at its old site. I told him that I wanted him to meet my boss Chief Abiola who was contesting the presidential election. At about 8pm on that day, I and the man of God drove to the Chief’s house on Abiola Crescent, Ikeja. The man of God, within ten minutes of the meeting, told Abiola that he was going to win the election but he was never going to be the President of Nigeria.

Immediately, Chief called me aside and told me that this man was not an ordinary man, he asked me how I knew him and where he is from. I told him that the Prophet is from The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations. He said: “Where is Synagogue?” I told him that Synagogue is in Lagos, and he asked what he could do now? I told him to give the prophet money; maybe he could turn away the evil that would make his ascension to the exalted office of president, impossible.

I came back to the man of God and told him that Chief says I should give him money. There was always enough money on me. I counted fifty thousand naira, but the prophet refused saying he had told Chief what was going to happen and that the only thing he could do to salvage the situation was for him to come to the church.

I went back to the Chief and told him the message from the man of God and Chief said: ‘‘Yes, he is a man of God, he should make me win instead of telling me to come to his church, he knows I am a Muslim’’. He there and then told me that I should desist from seeing the man of God again and that he is too powerful for my kind of person, I should stay away from the Synagogue and that is how I abandoned my friend for several years.

F.C: Prophet T.B. Joshua has been painted negatively in the press before the public so that one would think that everyone would keep their distance and here you are saying he is your friend. What informs this stance?
A.A: Well at that time, my contact with the man of God was an act of God. He is very humane. We used to drive in my car to Oyingbo with the food in my car booth. It was a ‘gazing watch’ for passers-by who must have thought: ‘Ah, what is wrong with this duo?’ Here were people in their respective places of work and we prefer to share food to the destitute. We also used to go to motherless babies homes at Makoko, he would feed the children and for hours he would be in their midst. So, I came to like him until that event between him and Chief Abiola and the instruction to stay away.

F.C: Were you surprised that he turned down the offer of fifty thousand naira even when it was obvious that he could do a lot with that sum in 1992/93?
A.A: Before he rejected the offer, I knew he was not money conscious because I used to see a lot of money in his office. I knew it was not all about money. I knew he was not going to take it because he gives out more than that to those who seek his assistance. So, he not taking the money was not a shock to me.

F.C: Looking back, do you not feel guilty for jettisoning your friend because your boss dreaded the truth?
A.A: The man pays my bills and I thought he was actually going to be the president. I did not want to believe the man of God, not with the money, the connection national and international and the backing of the military and one man is saying he is not going to be there? I said to myself this man has only one vote, so I tried to follow the man that has been spending money, I thought we will win. Yes we did win fare and square, but the election was annulled.

F.C: Why didn’t you run back to the prophet?
A.A: I remembered him quickly but it was too late because Chief had been arrested, so I had to run to my uncle Chief Kokori and told him that we have to help this man. He asked: ‘‘If we have to help this man what of those who betrayed him?’’ It is the cumulative events of that period that gave birth to June 12 struggle, NUPENG strike and other things that shook Abacha. At that time, I became angered that the man of God refused to help us after all I would have been living inside Aso Rock. So I did not want to come and see him again until recently.

F.C: There were more prominent men of God who told Abiola that it was Eldorado and here was T.B. Joshua just coming up and he is saying the contrary. What can you say of Prophet T.B. Joshua?
A.A: In fact, when you take a man to a big man’s house, you expect him to say what the big man wants to hear and here was a young prophet who looked deeply into the big man’s eyes and told him point blank that he was going to win but that he will never rule. We were all alone in the late Kudirat’s apartment when he told him the message face to face. After that encounter, before the ugly events that unfolded later, Chief always taunted me saying: “Where is that your friend”, and I would say that I no longer go there, so I do not know much about him. I did not believe the prophet’s prediction because with Abiola’s weight and connection in society, nobody would have given the prophet’s prediction a second thought because it has never been heard of in the annals of political history in Nigeria that a candidate wins an election and he is denied his mandate and here is a man, a year before the election, predicting that there would be annulment.

I think that was why Chief warned me saying: ‘‘You know, you are a small boy and these people are more than you. This man of God is not an ordinary man. He told me that when he shook his hand, he knew the prophet is not an ordinary man and that I should distance myself from the man of God if I wanted to stay with him but that if I wanted to go, I could go. I wanted to stay with Chief so I stayed away from the prophet.

F.C: After the annulment was there anytime Chief Abiola in retrospect mentioned T.B. Joshua to you?
A.A: After the annulment, a lot of prophets and pastors were coming and were trying to make him believe that the situation would change. I was all over the place busy looking for spiritual people who could work on Babaginda’s mind to de-annul the election. Let me be frank, I was also scared of reminding him that there was a man who stood out against what others said because I was feeling that in his annoyance, he could say I should go and bring the man, alleging that he caused his failure, so I couldn’t brace up myself to tell him of the prophet. But I think he still remembered because he once complained that he is not comfortable with these people because they were the ones who told him that he would become the president and now they are telling him that Babagida will die tomorrow. A few days later, security men picked him up and he never came back alive.

F.C: Do you think over confidence and not religion informed Abiola’s decision not to honour the prophet’s simple instruction?
A.A: Indeed he had on one occasion boasted that I should not mind the prophet, that either through the right means or through the back door he will be sworn in as the president. I think it is both factors but his confidence in his ability to twist things to his taste overwhelmed his judgement.

F.C: T.B. Joshua is your friend and the friend of so many people. Why do you think people hold him high, now?
A.A: There are so many factors responsible for this. I spoke about his humility, his lifestyle, for which many would mistake him for an ordinary man. Secondly, his magnanimity to those in need. Let me tell you that as I left service on Sunday, a friend called me all the way from London informing me that he just watched on the screen the church programme where according to him the prophet was giving out cash gifts to widows/widowers, dwarfs and after that the fellow said that unlike his pastor who cruises past beggars who lined the church path on service days but I told him that he has not just started the doling out of gifts, it is a thing he’s been practicing over fifteen years now though at that time it was on a small scale, I mean financially. T.B. Joshua is a rare breed. In this era where pastors are amassing wealth for themselves and their families, going into ventures that are outside the confines of the sanctuary, here is a man who is sharing his wealth with the less privileged. Once in a lifetime, such fellows grace the earth and they are always true prophets of God.

F.C: You still remember some of those pastors and prophets who prophesied falsehood, if per chance your path crosses theirs, what would you tell them?
A.A: I know so many of them who will see me and take a duck because they knew then that they were after the man’s money and told a lie against the Holy Spirit of God. If I am opportune to talk with any of them, I will point out one thing to them now, how they let themselves down and will warn them to shun crowd prophesies. T.B. Joshua was not a big pastor then, I mean compared with some big names at that time and yet he stood on the truth. See how God vindicated him as a true prophet of God.

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Prophet TB Joshua At 46

TB Joshua At 46

As the world celebrates Prophet TB Joshua as he reaches 46 today, he is challenging people to spend more on others and less on themselves…

The founder of the Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet TB Joshua turns 46 on June 12th 2009.

Prophet Joshua, who began his ministry about 20 years ago, was born in Arigidi-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. His is a unique sort of healing and prophecy ministry that combines preaching the gospel with extensive charity work on such a large scale that puts his ministry at the services of all, irrespective of creed or race.

Speaking to a large congregation at The Synagogue Church last Sunday, Prophet Joshua enjoined the faithful to be true to the teachings of Jesus Christ by always giving to the less privileged. This is in keeping with his policy of “spend more on others and less on ourselves”.

To celebrate his birthday this year therefore, the prophet asked all who would have given anything to contribute to his birthday, to put such gifts together and give them away to the needy, rather than to himself, as he celebrates his 46th birthday. He also said that anyone who wished to make paid newspaper announcements to congratulate him on the occasion should monetise such gestures and give them away to the under-privileged.

Prophet TB Joshua at 46

“Another June 12th is at hand, so I want to say happy birthday in advance,” said the prophet. “As we all know, we are the father to the orphans, husband to the widows, benefactors to the needy and companions to the lonely. This coming Friday, I want you to go out and celebrate with them, or invite them to your house and rededicate yourself to the act of giving in terms of food, shelter, scholarships to the less privileged. This is what we are born for, what we are to live for and what we are to die for. ”

The prophet reflected on his own life by playing back a recorded video of his early ministry, his 40-day and night fast at the prayer mountain and the hardships he went through to build his first, second and third churches, which were all destroyed by the elements. It was a heart-rending story from which Pastor Joshua encouraged the congregation to learn the lessons of the hard knocks of life.

No one, he remarked, should think that adversity was meant to destroy them. Rather, we should draw strength from setbacks for, he said, “God can use disappointment to preserve you for redemption, strengthen your desire for God and prepare you for the challenges ahead.”

Finally, to the worshippers, visitors and viewers of Emmanuel TV, worldwide, the prophet emphasised the virtues of charity, describing as “vanity upon vanity” a situation where a man parks 10 jeeps or stores excess worldly possessions in his garage in a country where many cannot find a single meal to eat in a day. People must continue to give cheerfully, to be their brother’s keepers, he finalised. “Someone is waiting for you for a lifetime. You cannot afford to fail them. Failing them is failing God…”

SOURCE: Modern Ghana

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