I referred to this in my last topic https://www.nairaland.com/3342877/ready-short-message-christians-lyoncrescent

However i want to go into it in a greater detail in two parts.


I want to write a commentary about something that is very common in Nigerian churches today. When prayers are going on you hear people pray through the God of their pastors either living or dead. So you hear things like the God of Babalola, God of Oschoffa, God of Adeboye, God of Oyedepo, God of Olukoya and so on. I have heard many people including senior pastors refer to the example of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the bible and justify why they pray that way.

In about a dozen places in the Bible, the Lord God is referred to as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (e.g., Genesis 50:24; Exodus 3:15; Acts 7:32). This name of God emphasizes the covenant that God made with Israel and the Israelites’ special place as God’s Chosen People.

When God revealed Himself to Moses in preparation for bringing His people out of Egypt, He called Himself “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” in Exodus 3:15. He also instructed Moses to identify the Lord by that name when speaking to the Israelites (verse 16). In this case, the name carries a couple of important implications. First, when God identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He clearly distinguishes Himself from the gods of Egypt in whose land the Israelites dwelt. Second, the reference to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob implies a reason for the exodus: the promise of land. God had vowed that the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would inherit a certain geographical area. God’s faithfulness and Israel’s blessing were directly tied to Israel’s possession of the Promised Land, and the name God uses for Himself harkens back to the covenant with Abraham.

Jesus alluded to God’s burning-bush appearance to Moses and used God’s name to teach a lesson on the resurrection to the Sadducees: “About the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matthew 22:31–32). As Jesus points out, the verb am is in the present tense; God did not say, “I was the God of your fathers.” He said, “I am their God,” showing that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were still alive (in heaven)

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has plan for the ages involving a Savoir who provides forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. That plan was set in motion when God called Abram and blessed him, and that plan was brought to fulfilment when Jesus died and rose again. Through the seed of Abraham, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob blessed all the nations of the world.

It is clear that in the Old Testament they couldn’t pray in the name of Jesus as that part of the prophecy had not been fulfilled. Additionally there were many other gods so they had to be able to distinguish. Also note that Elisha also prayed using God of Elijah (Jesus was not in the picture yet), there is also a reference to God of Nahor.With all the books of prophets in the Old Testament and despite the fact Jesus was not yet in the picture, God didn’t refer himself to be worshipped as the God of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, even Elijah and many others. Just Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Once Jesus came into the picture all that is necessary is to pray in the name of Jesus Christ period. Praying through the God of Adeboye for example is a wrong prayer. As soon as Jesus came into the picture, he becomes an intercessor. Jesus became our rabbi meaning our teacher. All these pastors are not the teachers; they are more like the class captains. They haven’t passed the exam and will still write their test when they die. Jesus has passed his test.
Another reason why this poses danger is a pastor can take something else as his God without you knowing. Having a genuine calling from God and maintaining that calling till the end are two different things et la Solomon and Judas. So when you pray and say the GOD of so so pastor, unless GOD reveals himself to you and refers to himself that way same way he revealed himself to Moses, don’t do it. It is just like praying that the God of Matthew, The God of Luke, The God of John the Baptist, God of Peter and so on. As soon as Jesus died and rose for your sins, that is the only name you need in your prayer alongside the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as we are all his descendants and Abrahams Blessings are ours. No pastor or General overseer died or will die for your sins. Don’t short circuit your prayers by praying through mere mortals.
I find it totally disturbing when pastors and general overseers beam with pride when their pastors or church members pray through them saying God of so so so. Let the holy spirit reveal to you if this is the best way to pray or not.

Deuteronomy 29:29New International Version (NIV)
29 The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

cc OAM4J

Great topic OP, i have always asked them when they say God of this, what if the pastor is serving something else?

Even Pastors that are into fetish practices.

its biblical since the israelites prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Even if your pastor worships demons
So far he performs miracle and his god will answer me when i calleth

My people i must call him oo

Now i am calling on God of chosen to give me winnings in bet9ja today

Its a crazy church ritual.
Its a pity to know people are worshipping the God of MAN rather than the ALMIGHTY GOD.

@op you are right and spot on.
Only God knwos which pastor is the right one.
if you know there is nothing wrong in praying in the name of a pastor who is a mere human being for he is serving the right lord click like
if not click share

It is wrong . But I don't think churches like RCCG , MFM Deeper Life , do it. It is greatly discouraged in MFM.

We dont do that in my church. but its not all that wrong as long as u re making reference to God almighty
If u believe it was God that called and annointed ur pastor and it was God that sent him to u to tell u wat he has in store for u, if u believe that God speaks to u through him, then its not wrong to remind God of those promises he made to u through the pastor. For example
Pst Oyedepo: If i serve a loving God, u will not lack and fall sick.
A winners chapel member who feels he is lacking or feeling sick can say: God of Oyedepo, i call on u, u promised i wont lack, i wont fall sick, come and deliver me now.


So it sort of raises the faith of the person praying

Most times, it happens with all these overzealous members and those ones that worship their pastors and i don't see those ones as people in their right senses. What if the pastor isn't worshiping the God you think he is?

zionmade1:
We dont do that in my church. but its not all that wrong as long as u re making reference to God almighty
If u believe it was God that called and annointed ur pastor and it was God that sent him to u to tell u wat he has in store for u, if u believe that God speaks to u through him, then its not wrong to remind God of those promises he made to u through the pastor. For example
Pst Oyedepo: If i serve a loving God, u will not lack and fall sick.
A winners chapel member who feels he is lacking or feeling sick can say: God of Oyedepo, i call on u, u promised i wont lack, i wont fall sick, come and deliver me now.


So it sort of raises the faith of the person praying

What if Oyedepo chooses something else as his GOD without the person praying knowing ? Why didnt people in the new testament pray thorugh the God of Paul, God of Peter, God of John to raise their faith ? The promises of God made through the pastor ? I think these pastors are like a glass cup. If you love the coffee you praise the content not the cup or mug. The holyspirit and Jesus are critical. The pastor is just a container . Focus on Jesus and the role of the holyspirit as the promises made if they are true are not from Oyedepo as you said but from the Spirit through Jesus.

It just like saying your tea is sweet because of the Cup you used to make the tea. Then you start praising or praying through the cup. Cup that can break anytime.

vicade:


What if Oyedepo chooses something else as his GOD without the person praying knowing ? Why didnt people in the new testament pray thorugh the God of Paul, God of Peter, God of John to raise their faith ? The promises of God made through the pastor ? I think these pastors are like a glass cup. If you love the coffee you praise the content not the cup or mug. The holyspirit and Jesus are critical. The pastor is just a container . Focus on Jesus and the role of the holyspirit as the promises made if they are true are not from Oyedepo as you said but from the Spirit through Jesus.

It just like saying your tea is sweet because of the Cup you used to make the tea. Then you start praising or praying through the cup. Cup that can break anytime.

am not talking about praising anybody here.
Lets move a step higher, if the pastor chooses another god and God himself does not reveal it unto u, then ur relationship with God needs to be checked. if ur father sees u doing the wrong thing and doesnt correct u then something is probably wrong.

I

They have totally turned the Bible up and down,the scriptures say you pray through only Jesus Christ

Ok

Yes........ there's nothing wrong with that so far u have faith and believe it will work for U. Even me do pray in the name of Prophet Samson Oluwamodede of the Prayer Center Church of God and it works miraculously.

I don't even know any pastor in depth... . Talkless of who they serve.
What's my pastor's name again... Ow. I don't have a permanent one.. . I hop into any church the spirit leads. We are one body in christ.

Pray as directed in the Good Book.

I do not support praying in the name of the GO or Pastor or whatever's god as I truly don't know the god he "truly" worships never minding his preaching or "christian" posturing. As it is now, one never knows with ministers again o!

The mysteries of life are deep and convoluted indeed. Better to be safe than sorry...just simple quality assurance in play.

@ Redoil, zionmade1, bedspread & sureheaven...
Even if you are very sure that your Pastor is serving the almighty God, it is still wrong to approach God through him or call his name after God.
It is high time we realise that these Pastors are mere mortals like us and no matter the level of their anointing, you are still equal with them before God. Even the Angels of God in heaven are not too important to God than you, so if you can't pray to God through his Angels, WHY pray through a human being like you? We can only approach God in two ways: 1. Through (faith in) his son Jesus "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
2. God is a spirit, so you can still approach him directly if you have the Holy spirit in you. "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship him in Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24).
But the problem here is that most people don't have the Holy spirit and that means God does not dwell in them. So instead of believing in Jesus Christ so that they can reach God through his son, they choose to believe in their Pastors and pray through their names.
The Bible says that God dwells in two places: 1. In heaven. 2. In the heart of those with a humble spirit and a contrite heart.(Isaiah 57:15).
This means that if you have a humble spirit and contrite heart, then God dwells in you. If your Pastor doesn't have those requirements, then he doesn't have God in his life. So why calling God after your Pastor when you can as well have God in your life and call him after your name if you like? The vast ignorance that has enveloped Christians of this generation knows no bounds. It is ignorance that makes most people slaves to their Pastors and doom awaits those who doesn't want to study the scriptures and learn the right things to do.
Here is a question for all of you... If you think it is right to call God of your Pastor, Is it only your Pastor that have God? Don't you have God in your life?

Truth talk

sureheaven:
Yes........ there's nothing wrong with that so far u have faith and believe it will work for U. Even me do pray in the name of Prophet Samson Oluwamodede of the Prayer Center Church of God and it works miraculously.

And what if the pastor/prophet is serving a deity unknown to his members. I don't support the idea of God of this person or that person abi is it not one God again? Is God in multiple? It's simply God.

zionmade1:
We dont do that in my church. but its not all that wrong as long as u re making reference to God almighty
If u believe it was God that called and annointed ur pastor and it was God that sent him to u to tell u wat he has in store for u, if u believe that God speaks to u through him, then its not wrong to remind God of those promises he made to u through the pastor. For example
Pst Oyedepo: If i serve a loving God, u will not lack and fall sick.
A winners chapel member who feels he is lacking or feeling sick can say: God of Oyedepo, i call on u, u promised i wont lack, i wont fall sick, come and deliver me now.


So it sort of raises the faith of the person praying

IT IS WRONG! You should not call the name of your Pastor's whatever in prayer because it is a blind act if you can vouch for an imperfect man in a desperate world.

Tope Alabi did this in one of her songs. She said she would have been nowhere today if not for the God of Àjànàkú. In the end, it turned out 'the holy prophet' was a strong cultist who was buried by his Ogboni colleagues when he passed on.

If you know and understand the God you serve then you would equally have the foresight that you have no business calling on the God/god of your pastor.

These days of Pastors being exposed and stuff dug up anyhow, you better be careful when calling the god of anyone.

Pray only to the almighty God, he hears you directly

zionmade:

am not talking about praising anybody here.
Lets move a step higher, if the pastor chooses another god and God himself does not reveal it unto u, then ur relationship with God needs to be checked. if ur father sees u doing the wrong thing and doesnt correct u then something is probably wrong.

I believe you "truly" know, on deeper reflection, that you're wrong in this assertion of yours.

How many people has God "revealed" stuff to ala the way your post suggests in recent times?

K

The believe system for you

paiz:
Even if your pastor worships demons
So far he performs miracle and his god will answer me when i calleth

My people i must call him oo

Now i am calling on God of chosen to give me winnings in bet9ja today

THE ALMIGHTY GOD
THE GOD OF ABRAHAM
THE GOD OF ISSAC
THE GOD OF MY PASTOR
THE MAN ON SUIT
THE GOD OF CHOSEN
THE GOD OF MUOKA
THATS A GREAT GOD
HE IS MY GOD.....

Note: THE GOD OF CHOSEN I KNOW DOES NOT GAMBLE.... HE IS NOT A GOD OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS....

zionmade1:
We dont do that in my church. but its not all that wrong as long as u re making reference to God almighty
If u believe it was God that called and annointed ur pastor and it was God that sent him to u to tell u wat he has in store for u, if u believe that God speaks to u through him, then its not wrong to remind God of those promises he made to u through the pastor. For example
Pst Oyedepo: If i serve a loving God, u will not lack and fall sick.
A winners chapel member who feels he is lacking or feeling sick can say: God of Oyedepo, i call on u, u promised i wont lack, i wont fall sick, come and deliver me now.


So it sort of raises the faith of the person praying

Your post lends credence to catholics calling on the saints and Mary to "pray" for them.

Na lie, I understand your post very well so don't tell me I don't "understand" what you meant.