The online storms that brew this week over the
prophecy of Nigerian Pastor T.B. Joshua about the
crash that ended the lives of Governor Yakowa and
General Azazi seem to be slowly abating. As the news
of the tragic deaths reverberated nationwide, Joshua
released a controversial VIDEO ON YOUTUBE which
claimed he had predicted the incident and details
relating to it on four different occasions. However, I
still feel the need to air my views, furnished by
contextual consideration, as the dust settles on the
heated debates within social media that were
triggered by the prophecy.
Understandably, the video drew its fair share of
criticism, the major bone of contention in the minds
of viewers and observers being Joshua’s continued
proficiency in predicting negative events and his
seeming inability to change them after such
revelations come forth. I can well understand this
mindset, having been one of Joshua’s most skeptical
distant observers for long. However, it was last year
when my brother fell mysteriously sick that I was
basically ‘forced’ to look in Joshua’s direction for help.
Doctors told me he had a treatable kidney infection
but what I saw was my brother transform from a
healthy, vibrant young man to an almost
unrecognisable emaciated figure in literally two
months, on the verge of death.
After exhausting medical treatment, a good friend of
mine advised me to take him to The SCOAN for
prayer. Circumstantially driven, I acceded and
financed his wife to take him there. Three weeks
later, my brother was back on his feet, eating well
and regaining his lost vigour. Thus, my interest in
Emmanuel TV was born, and I must confess, it has
slowly become my daily spiritual food and a constant
source of discussion and wonder within our home.
I don’t claim to completely understand T.B. Joshua’s
ministry at The SCOAN. On the contrary, many of the
things I see there on Emmanuel TV (especially the
deliverance)baffle me. However, I have seen enough
to know that Joshua is a humble servant of God with
quite extraordinary powers he is unequivocally using
to uplift society. In my view, he is the best pastor to
have come from these shores – with an
uncompromising message of salvation, an admirable
array of charitable projects and real solutions
provided to people who come with myriads of diverse
problems.
So, on the argument dealing with his tendency to
deliver ‘negative’ predictions, I think this is a case of
blaming the messenger for delivering his message. It
is sadly indicative of the state of our society and
nation and the type of seed we have collectively been
planting. As one commenter on the issues arising
from Joshua’s prophecy opined, “It’s the prophecies
of prosperity and ‘it shall be well with the
abominable’ that has destroyed any remaining
chance for Nigeria’s restructuring. The ‘prophecy of
doom’ is to the sharpening of man… Let those who
prophesy prosperity tell us what has come of it save
the acute and nauseating love for money which, as
the Holy Book says, is the root of all evil.”
Everyone wants to hear good tidings but how many
are genuinely pursuing a righteous and just course
that will amalgamate in a tide-turning shift within
Nigeria’s political and socio-economic landscape. God
cannot break His own Divine statutes, set in stone
from the earth’s formation, the principle of seed-time
and harvest.
If we continue to harbour corruption, celebrate
decadence and have a compromising conflict of
deeds and words, what then do we expect God to
reveal to His servants about our future? Indeed, a
flick through our national dailies reveals enough
about the actions and attitude of our nation, its
leaders and inhabitants, especially that of our youth,
to know that a bleak future awaits us unless there is
a radical change.
On Joshua’s revelation without apparent
corresponding action and subsequent redemption, I
believe the majority of people who heard about the
prophecy and quickly drew such abrasive conclusions
never actually took the time out to watch the video
released on YouTube to the very end. Joshua is very
explicit in explaining this issue. He said, “I have been
wrestling with certain things.
When I say, wrestle, it’s an issue that I keep praying
and asking God, ‘What I’m seeing should be
changed.’ But God said, ‘No, the whole nation should
come together and pray’. So, when I’m hearing my
country should come also and pray together, that is
when I will come out and tell you what I am seeing in
the vision.
When I see a vision and I know I can handle it myself,
I don’t need to tell you. I will call the wise men and
we’ll pray. But when I know that this thing is not
possible for me alone and my people to do, I will
come out to tell you that this is what I have seen.”
If our eyes were opened spiritually, perhaps we would
be privy to see devastating events on the verge of
occurring within Nigeria that were forestalled
through the prayers of God’s people at SCOAN, the
news of which will never reach our earthly ears. Aside
from this, the prophet prayed and enjoined the
nation to join him. Did we?
I believe many of those blindly criticising the prophet
are not well versed with his ministry or accustomed
to watching Emmanuel TV. This prophecy is not an
isolated proclamation. Indeed, every week, Prophet
Joshua prophesies to individuals in the church with
uncanny speed, accuracy and consistency. Whether
its prayer for the terminally ill, reconciliation of a
broken family, deliverance of people under demonic
oppression or charity to the widow, orphan and
reformed militant, Prophet Joshua is settling real
problems with real solutions. It seems to me both
insolent and incoherent to suggest he is just a
‘prophet of doom’ who capitalises on misfortunes to
project his name. Please, don’t base your view on a
single news report.
On a related note, Pastor Enoch Adeboye whose
global influence on his flock and command on the
common Nigerian is almost inestimable prayed for
President Jonathan in his Redeemed Camp just a few
hours before the ill-fated crash. The question
beckons, did he not have any such revelation about
the tragic events on the verge of unfolding merely
hours after his public prayer with the President knelt
before him? If so, were his prayers effective?
Respected Nigerian journalist Femi Adesina of The
Sun Newspaper, wrote in his column this week,
“Didn’t Pastor Adeboye see the crash as he prayed
with President Jonathan? Didn’t the Lord reveal it to
him? Couldn’t he have interceded, so that the
monumental tragedy would be averted… ‘The secret
of the Lord is with those that fear Him,’ says the
Good Book. So, why didn’t the Lord confide in
Adeboye about the Bayelsa crash, which was to
happen some hours after Jonathan had come for
prayers… I’m sure the pastor himself must have
been somewhat embarrassed when he heard the
news.”
The reason I write this is not to gloat or in any way
suggest Adeboye’s spiritual incompetence. I just
believe it’s time Nigeria recognises who is who in
God’s vineyard. Baba Adeboye is a fine preacher but,
in my own humble opinion, not a prophet. This is
evidenced by his yearly prophetic declarations which
are almost nonsensical in nature if perceived to be
divinely inspired.
He declares simple biblical principles and realities of
life and packages them with the title ‘prophecy’ on a
yearly basis. It’s high time someone like Adeboye can
publicly acknowledges God’s gift in his brother in the
vineyard, instead of the baseless bickering, crude
condemnation and pulpit-judgement that have
caused division within the Nigerian church fold for far
too long.
I believe our nation should recognise God’s voice in
this trying time and acknowledge the potential
pastors, who are genuinely doing God’s work, have to
bring Divine direction to those in the helm of affairs
in this nation, if they are willing to listen. Who knows
– if President Jonathan had visited Joshua for prayer
on that fateful day, perhaps Kaduna would still be
with its Governor and the deaths of six men would
have been averted..

Let them pastors be.

Tb Joshua is a prophet , a healing minister and a miracle worker. He may not be perfect bible teacher . But he's a prophet.
Making negative prediction is a common thing in prophecy. People just condemn what they don't understand . Is there any prophet in the bible who didn't make negative prediction . Even Jesus did. Most prophecies are negative. Actually not negative but . But they are either earnings or judgement.

Critics can pick hole in anything . Critics can even criticize God and have good points. Lets judge by the word ,not our senses or feeling.

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