NIGERIA'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND THE SHAME OF FALSE PROPHETS

By Rev, Ola Oladejo

"But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall di And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?' "when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken, the prophet has spoken presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him." Deu 18:20-22 (NKJV)

The 2015 presidential election in Nigeria has been won and lost. However, had the election taken place back in the time of Moses in the Bible, some types of prophets who painted the town red with their prophecies would have entered into serious trouble. The outcome of the election had shamefully proved that they never got their boastful pronouncements from God in the first place. While political parties in the election, winners and losers alike can point to their contributions to the deepening of democracy in the country, the hordes of false prophets were completely put to shame. They are nothing but two for penny false prophets.

To refresh our memory, the electioneering period was a time these fake prophets multiplied like swarm of flies. The politicians bent on winning at all cost courted them. Like father, like son, these prophets as true scions of their great grandfather Balaam, that prophet known to prophesy at the smell of filthy lucre, went over themselves to say not what God sent them to say but what their clients were eager to hear. They forgot to learn from the calamity that befell ministries of fake prophets in our recent history.

There was a time in Lagos when one Brother Timothy, a self styled prophet took the community by storm. His prayer meetings were always full as even some believers desert their churches in search of his prophecies. He would publicly pronounce on big and mundane issues and soon became a celebrity.. Gullible devotees did not know Bro Timothy was engaged in permutations, gambling and chance predictions. One day the bubble burst when he prophesied about a match involving the Super Eagles. He declared to the whole world that God had told him Super Eagles would win the match 4-0. He insisted that if the Super Eagles did not win by that margin it meant God did not call him. But to the chagrin of Bro Timothy, the Super Eagles lost woefully. The backlash of Bro Timothy's false prophecy drove him underground from which he is yet to emerge as of today. God is not a liar and He cannot be mocked.

Yet there was a time when some prophets from Ghana invaded Nigeria with a new fangled ministration. They were so good at motivation in their messages geared to get listeners to do what they say. Pastors would do anything to invite them for they pulled crowd not a bit. They operated by getting the audience fired up and then they go for the jugular. They would call a person by name and say God asked the person to bring an amount big enough for the miracle he or she expected. The trend was that they always called on well to do members. Later they would claim Holy Spirit gave them someone's telephone number from whom they demand outrageous amount. They would tell their victims problems which they always claimed were caused by others. After a short reign, truth caught up with them. They disappeared when people began to discover them for who they are, false prophets. It turned out that they first sent their spies ahead to gather vital information about the church and its members and the information they gathered were converted into false prophecy in their ministrations. They did not prophesy because they heard from God but were lying in the name of the Lord.

One would be shocked at the calibre of prominent churches, ministries and Christian leaders who prophesied falsely concerning the presidential election. The list was so intimidating that it is best not to publish their names because that will do no good to God's name. For there is no doubting the incalculable damage to the reputations of genuine spokesmen and women of God the fake prophets did. They were so loud and noisy that the din of their voices drowned those of true prophets. Many are now who would throw away even genuine prophecies because of activities of these false prophets. To despise true prophecies however can be likened to throwing away the baby with the bathwater. Though the existence of fake prophets is a mark of our time, the Bible has outlined how we can identify them and avoid their destructive practices. Three of them will suffice for our discussion.

A true prophet speaks only in the name of the Lord and because it is God's own words, it cannot fail to come to pass. False prophets as we see in the case of the presidential election spoke but what they said in spite of drama that accompanied them did not turn out to be so. Future event should authenticate what prophets claim God tells them.The presidential election results proved otherwise. Our text has warned enough that if a prophet claimed his predictions are from God and the things he said do not come to be, that prophet is a liar. We are warned; 

 

"Thus says the LORD of hosts; Do not listen to the words of the prophets whi prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the LORD." Jer. 23:16

The second test of true prophets is that of revelation and inspiration. These are some of the means God communicates with man. False prophets on the other hands receive their messages from divination, flesh and other Satanic means. The way out is for the believer to know the word of God, hence the mind of God. The unbeliever is totally at loss in this area. So he is strongly advised to give his life to Christ to get out of the ambit of false prophets.

The third test is in the area of the character of the one prophesying. If a prophet does not have good testimony as to his moral character, he is likely to turn out to be a false prophet. The common trait of false prophets is low moral character. Jesus warns in Matthew 7:15-20 that though they are wolves in sheep's clothing; we will know them by their fruits-character. In these days when all most people know about their prophets are based on media, instead of one on one relationship, it should be conceded that most people might not know their prophets intimately enough. I counsel that effort should be made to know the prophets to their homes and where possible peep into their closets

You can starve out of existence if you chose not to accord honour to these fake prophets. Neither seek them nor patronise them. Their rank will reduce since they lie for material gains. I urge these false prophets to repent, because of impending divine judgement. God have mercy

Rev. Ola Oladejo is a Senior Pastor, Hundredfold Covenant Bible Church, 3rd floor, 142 Lawanson Road (OtunOba bus stop) Surulere, Lagos, Tel. 08023148846 Email: ola2dejo@gmail.com

For the love of mankind

By Rev Ola Oladejo

"He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgement And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken." Isaiah 53: 7, 8 (NKJV)

Some years ago, I watched a chilling film, The Passion of the Christ, depicting the gruesome crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He was so bruised in the film that a Roman soldier supervising the crucifixion complained, "But we didn't say you should kill him by whipping." For his men had whipped Jesus with sadistic fury. All over the body of Jesus were crude red lines, the heinous results of flesh tearing Roman whip. Everywhere was covered with blood as the Lord marched to the climax of the gory events, to the cross and His death on the cross. The producers of the film received commendation for the film, though nobody doubted the impossibility of capturing the full extent of Christ's agony and suffering in reality on that cross.

The events in the film were not fiction but actual depiction of historical occurrence which ushered in salvation and changed the destiny of mankind forever. Abou 2015 years ago, Christ completed the work of redemption by going to the cross bearing the sins of the world and making Atonement for them. As we celebrate Easter this year, I will like us to take another look at the above quoted scriptures, a critical aspect of the redemption story.

APOSTOLIC TEACHING : LEVEL CHANGE IN PERSONAL LIFE & DESTINY

By Dr. James Akanbi


Text  Question: What is the level change you have experienced in your personal life, destiny or ministry?

If you do not evaluate or diagnose your life like this you cannot move up in life. It is dangerous to live without change. “I have little thought to spare for a man who is the same today as he was yesterday” – Abraham Lincoln.

People that are evolving, developing, changing, transiting to other levels are the people worth to live. People with regular quest for transformation are habitually possessed people. They are changing in every sphere of life, they don’t discriminate. There is always a spring board on their heels, thus taking herculean task to capture them on their destination bug. A destiny that wants to spend three life times in ones complacent is the beginning of disaster.

People that frequently ask questions are in this class. Maxwell was able to write many books because he developed Thesis. Every thesis comes from one statement. There is no way you cannot get a thesis when you are fast in thinking. Genesis 22:4-5: reveals that within just few hours, Abraham was able to make positive choice and decision that changed his life forever. Quality choice and decision are what separate boys from men. Positive/Quality choice and decision bring changes to people overnight. Some people’s destinies are changed overnight by the quality choices and decisions they make.

Dr. James Akanbi

THE LYING SPIRIT AND ELECTIONEERING CAMPAIGNS

By REV OLA OLADEJO

A striking story in 1 Kings 22:1-23 best illustrates the ungodly aspect of the electioneering campaigns for the Nigeria's general elections coming up in few days time. Israel's king, Ahab summoned the prophets and sought to know from them if he would win the war he planned against Syria. All the prophets, save one, told Ahab, a man notorious for evil what he wanted to hear. They said Ahab would not only win but would destroy Syria, but they were telling lies. The only prophet who differed, Micaiah told the truth that the war would be tragic for Ahab and his nation, Israel.

Rev Ola Oladejo

The alliance with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah would fail. Micaiah said the other prophets were lying because they were under the influence of a lying spirit which had possessed them. In the same way, one can say that the campaigns for the 2015 elections and those running the race have been taken over by lying spirits, going by the amount of lies they dish out. How else does one account for the amount of falsehood brazenly being peddled in the run up to the election?

One does not need to be a seer to know that God cannot be happy with the campaigns leading to the elections; the basic reason being that what God hates has dominated the campaigns. The word of God, the Bible, establishes the Lord's stance against lies and their manifestations without any ambiguity. Prov. 6:16-19 name lies, lying and bearing false witness as among the seven things which are abomination before God. In Leviticus 19:11, we are commanded thus, “Do not lie." Romans 1:25 condemned those who "exchanged the truth of God for a lie". When a person goes out to lie he is not only rejecting truth but is invariably calling God a liar.

The tribe of the false prophets of Ahab’s time is on the driver's seat of the 2015 campaigns. They seem not to be mindful of God at all since they are all bent on getting advantage over their opponents by hook or crook. They are managers, chorus boys, situation committee members, analysts of all shades, devious thinkers and party members behind the campaigns and the so called men of God backing them. In my experience, I have never witnessed any campaign with the kind of lie content like the present ones.

For what we see are not issues, not purposive discourses, not words from those who will improve things but lies, half truths, propaganda, manipulations and grand deception on abominable scale. What these people intend to gain from these lies going by the word of God, I do not understand. For what a man sows he will reap.

Disgrace to democracy

The 2015 campaigns must have brought so much foul smell to that acclaimed system of government, democracy. We see the system operates in other lands where their electioneering campaigns are beauty to watch. Woe betides any campaigner or candidates that resort to lies in a place like USA or United Kingdom. They would not go free. They would be exposed and punished by mass rejection. Nigeria has become another kettle entirely. Impunity reigns and liars are being crowned king. They call the shots and have so much entrenched themselves in the political fabrics that not swallowing these lies would take the grace of God.

Truth has perished

The present Nigeria also bears resemblance to Israel of Prophet Jeremiah's time. In Jeremiah 7:28, he cried, "...Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouths." Liars and their merchandise have taken over the political space and truth is being made to perish. So they can lie without bating an eyelid or their consciences being pricked. Today a man can sit down and in infantile imagination concoct all manner of untruths and put them in the public domain as the gospel truth. What a pity and a lamentable indication of how far we have sunk as a nation.

Why are liars occupying the dizzying heights of these campaigns? Why have smart Alecs desperately sought and recruited mainly for their ability to weave webs of lies? Why do we prefer lies to truth? Why do we deliberately seek to make lies our refuge as a nation? Don't we know that what we are doing is like the ostrich which buries its head in the sand? We are taking refuge in lies and hiding under falsehood. Can we say we do not know that nothing good would come out of lies or that liars risk God's punishment?

Can it be that we never thought of the consequences? If we lie during campaigns and we get into government, what will governance look like? We will have to fabricate more falsehood to sustain the pack of cards of lies that has been built. The economy, finance, power relations, administration will logically be anchored on deception and the people that fell victim of the lies become cynical, never believing the liars again and look at every of their steps with disbelief, doubt and skepticism.

Clearly, the electioneering campaigns have exposed the underlying causes of our nation's chronic problems-lies in various forms, barefaced, brazen or subtle ones. The root cause of our malaise is telling and living out lies. We have seen lies taking over as the directive principles of the campaigns, so bad that lying industry has grown into a monster.

Heart bleeds

My heart bleeds as I observed the campaigns and I see perfidy prospering and being deployed with gusto. Do you not see the level of make belief going on? The person you were begging to see last year who told you whatever opinion you had did not matter now bowing at your presence in false humility and hypocritically telling you how precious you are. Is not the biggest display of falsehood for the wolf to pretend to a sheep or the callous to fain friendliness? To these campaigners white is black and black, white. They are not afraid to call the innocent guilty while they prop up misfits as the best.

Cover up

We should pity ourselves at the level of cover up also in the campaigns. It is terrible. The campaigns are going on as if there are no germane issues. A deliberate suppression of the truth so that one would be seen as good person does not differ any bit from telling lies. Democracy demands that all facts about candidates should be brought to the public domain but they would go to any length to shield unpalatable information about principals from public glare. No wonder, the weak, docile and fiddlers why Rome burns were touted as the best and most capable. Men of integrity are made to look like villains and the callous given the toga of a dove. When anyone dares to beam searchlight on that dark area and open the dirty cupboard, they demonise such a person in a bid to suppress the truth. By so doing, they foist on people, by subterfuge and manipulation, unworthy candidates.

Since 1979 I have watched many campaigns and even participated in some, no one has been characterised by the present level of barefaced lies, attempt to manipulate, deceive and mislead like the 2015 campaigns. What was regarded as an aberration in those days when for instance politicians would pour sand on the road to create the impression that construction work had begun or lay foundations of schools, hospitals, and facilities they did not intend to build has grown into a grotesque art of immense proportion. One single bridge, the second Niger Bridge has had its single foundation laid many times, in the wake of elections yet as we write there is no bridge at all, except in the figment of imagination of the liars.

Strategic Lies

The strategy of these liars can easily be deduced from their mode of operation. They seemed to believe that visibility is superior to ability, skills and effectiveness. Instead of service, they wait till electioneering to look for artistes, entertainers, actors and actresses who might be morally deficient but are making waves and are in the limelight. The purpose is to exploit their visibility for electoral gains. To them visibility can be equated to truth. What self delusion can be worse than this? As if their senses have gone on suspension, they further hold tenaciously to the false premise such that the louder the falsehood, the more of truth in it. They do not believe that an empty barrel makes the loudest noise. They have mastered the art of exaggeration to a frightening degree. So to them visibility, loudness and frequency of repetition of lies would put on them the toga of truth. What do you call that but self deception on the grandest scale!

We need to rise against the lying spirit in our personal lives and our body politic by engaging in serious warfare prayers. Our nation must be delivered from the present moral decay when lies telling have become an art

I suggest that a national repentance should take place, led by the government after May 29, this year. All Nigerians should seek God's mercy and forgiveness for the lies of the electioneering and then turn away from lies and embrace the truth. Thereafter, Nigerians should resolve to do things in the fear of God and make telling the truth the basis of their relationship with God and man.

Rev. Oladejo is a Senior Pastor, Hundredfold Covenant Bible Church, 142 Lawanson Rd. (Otunoba bus stop) Itire, Surulere, Lagos.

What You Probably Don’t Know about ‘The Least of These’

A more biblically accurate understanding of Jesus' words in Matthew 25.

 

Andy Horvath

Image: Jirka Matousek / Flickr

Most Christians agree that caring for the poor and marginalized is a central tenet of the gospel. And what better passage to reinforce this principle than Matthew 25:40, where Jesus commands us to care for “the least of these.” Many of us readily assume that “the least of these” refers to the poor and marginalized. But are those who Jesus is really talking about?

That question might seem trivial, but its importance can hardly be overstated. After all, Jesus ties our eternal destiny to how we treat “the least of these brothers of mine.” In the broader context of the passage (Matt. 25:31–46), the sheep and goats represent salvation criteria—who is in and who is out. It’s a stark picture, with the only outcomes being salvation or damnation. In a breathtaking scene, the Son of Man sits on a heavenly throne surrounded by angels and renders his verdict: “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (v. 46). One’s eternal security is tied to caring for “the least of these,” whoever they are.