No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:4
READ: 2 Samuel 23:8-17
8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
MESSAGE:
Sometimes ago in the American Army, battalion was dropped behind enemy lines. Initially, it was believed that the enemies were not aware, however the enemies eventually surrounded the battalion. Once it became clear that the battalion would be defeated, the leader of the group phoned their headquarters for support saying “We are totally surrounded and outnumbered at least 100 to 1; send the Marines” Legend has it that the phrase “send the marines” was derived from this event. At that time, only three Marines were available for the assignment and they were all sent. They worked all night and created a path for the battalion to escape. While the battalion was moving, they saw thousands of dead enemies. The three commandos had killed them in just one night.
There are ordinary Christian soldiers and there are Christian commandos. As for me, I have determined not to be an ordinary soldier for Christ, I want to be a commando. What about you?
Commandos go through the most rigorous qualification training. That is why a commando for Christ can weather any storm. He is unshakable. Job was a commando. No wonder he stood strong and even came out stronger in the face of adversity.
The true strength of boxer is measured by the opponent he/she faces. Likewise, the strength of a true Christian soldier is known by the kind of opponents he/she has brought down. If an ordinary insult is enough to bring you down, then you are not yet ready to be a member of this select group in the army of Christ. If you are still finding ‘good’ excuses to commit sin, you are obviously not yet ready for the training, talk less of becoming a commando.
If you would be used of God, you must go through the training. Just as no one can join the army without being fit, God cannot use an untrained person. If you would be a commando for God, you must go through the most rigorous training. Surrender all and make yourself available today. Stay on the winning side.
PRAYER REQUEST:
Father, I surrender all to You. Please help me to trust You even more as You train me to become a commando for You, in the mighty name of Jesus.
HYMN 2: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER.
All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live. o Refrain: I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow; Worldly pleasures all forsaken, Take me, Jesus, take me now.
All to Jesus I surrender, Make me, Savior, wholly Thine; Let me feel the Holy Spirit, Truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee; Fill me with Thy love and power, Let Thy blessing fall on me.
All to Jesus I surrender, Now I feel the sacred flame; Oh, the joy of full salvation! Glory, glory, to His Name!
Pastor kumuyi Is not NORMAL.He is one of the most powerful men on planet Earth,His life is filled with so much Supernatural endowmentsI personally describe pastor w.f kumuyi as a man who is not normal,Because he doesn’t struggle for the supernatural. WHO IS PASTOR W.F KUMUYI Pastor w.f kumuyi is the founder and General suprintendent of the Deeperlife Bible church A.k.a Deeper Christian Life ministry(D.L.C.M)Pastor W.f Kumuyi was born into a Christian family in Erin-Ijesha, Osun State, western part of Nigeria. He completed his secondary school education in 1961 at Mayflower School in Ikenne, Ogun State, from where he proceeded to the University of Ibadan and in 1967 graduated with a first-class honours degree in mathematics where he graduated as overall best graduating student in that year. He subsequently took a post-graduate course in Education at the University of Lagos.He became a born-again Christian in April 1964.On his upbringing, Pastor W.f Kumuyi was quoted to have saidHe was influenced by John Wesley, Charles Finney and Charles Spurgeon. His father was a member of the Anglican Church. According to an article in The Sun (Nigeria), Kumuyi is also said to be “a one-time member of the Anglican Church (now Anglican Communion), Celestial Church of Christ, Scripture Union (SU) movement and Apostolic Faith before breaking away to found Deeper Life.”Pastor w.f Kumuyi began teaching mathematics in 1962 at Mayflower School, his alma mater.He went on, in the early 1970s, to become a lecturer of mathematics at the University of Lagos. In 1973, while being a lecturer of mathematics at the University of Lagos, Kumuyi began a Bible study group with 15 students who had come to him for Bible training. This training became the foundation of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry. In 1975, Pastor w.f Kumuyi was expelled from the Apostolic Faith Church for preaching on the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He continued his independent ministry, which in 1982 became the Deeper Life Bible Church. As at 2005, the Christian ministry is said to have over 800,000 affiliates.Pastor w.f Kumuyi met Abiodun Olowu in September 1972. She became one of his Bible study students and a member of his fledging Christian ministry. They got married on 13 September 1980 in Lagos, and they have two children, Jeremiah and John. Abiodun Kumuyi died on 11 April 2009.On 13 October 2010, exactly 18 months after the death of his first wife, Kumuyi married Folashade Adenike Blaize in London. Folashade is the Administrator of the Deeper Life Bible Church, London.In 2013, Foreign Policy magazine listed Pastor W.f Kumuyi among the “500 most powerful people on the earth.
GIFT OF PROPHECY
Pastor Paul eneche said the first man on planet Earth I saw real word of knowledge from was pastor w.f kumuyi.AWARDSBilly Graham church came to Nigeria to give pastor kumuyi an AWARD for the gospel.Pastor kumuyi was a university DonIn 2018, Kumuyi received an honorary PhD from the University of Abuja.
LAGOS ANCIENT PYTHON AND PASTOR W.F KUMUYI
There was an ancient python in Lagos which killed pastors so the land was left untouchedThe king said who ever could kill the snake should take over the landPastor kumuyi was told about it he sent his pastors there they went there and ran backSo pastor kumuyi himself gathered prayer warriors and they stormed the land not too long the ancient python started approaching and all the pastors who came with pastor kumuyi ran awayBut pastor kumuyi stood still and was opening the Bible and quoting the scriptures as the giant snake kept approaching he was quoting the scriptures the snake got to where he was turned back and started turning, fell on the floor died and dried upThe pastors who ran away thought baba kumuyi was dead they came back to check on Pastor kumuyi only to discover the ancient python on the floor dead,and the land was handed over to the church.That is where deeperlife head quarters is now
FINANCIAL STATUS
Pastor kumuyi was one of the first pastors who ought to have own private jet in the early 90s but he declined when he was opportunedPastor kumuyi doesn’t have a BANK ACCOUNTHe is been taken care of by the church.GROWTH OF PASTORS Pastor w.f kumuyi lowest level of pastors in the church do raises dead bodies.
DANGEROUS MIRACLES PERFORM BY PASTOR W.F KUMUYI THROUGH GOD
Pastor kumuyi is known for his short prayers and has not been seen laying hands on people he declares from the pullpit and there are miracle outburts in the mammoth crowdHis prayers are usually 4/5minutes then after the final AmenThere will be serious uproar in the congregation
PASTOR SUNDAY ADELAJA COMPLIMENT
Pastor Sunday adelaja said somebody having a plastic eye began to see after the prayers of pastor w.f kumuyiPastor Sunday adelaja confirmed that he got repented under the sermon of pastor w.f Kumuyi.Numerous dead Individuals have been brought back to life after the prayers of pastor kumuyiPastor kumuyi said he has seen almost all the Miracles in the Bible happen.
ON THE 2ND OF NOVEMBER 2015 PASTOR ENOCH ADEBOYE INVITED PASTOR KUMUYI TO MINISTER IN HIS HOLYGHOST CONVENTION.DUNANIS MIRACLE EXPLOSION PROGRAM
. It was a wowing moment at the Dunamis International Gospel Center Abuja. God used Pastor W F Kumuyi to do the Miracle that have never been seen in Deeper Life Church for the past 10 years of my experience in Deeper Life as said by a Man. The Theme of The Programme being COME UP HITHER Pastor WF Kumuyi derived his Message title from the theme titled COME UP HITHER AND GO UP HIGHER, after introducing the title, he divided the message into three subheadings as well:After the sermon, pastor kumuyi made an altar call and thousands of people were rushing ? to come and surrender their lives to Christ. When Daddy led them to Christ, he told the congregation that they should get ready to dance because there is going to be an explosion of MiracleDaddy kumuyi made a short prayer, after the last amen brethren come and see Miracles. The lame began to drop their crutches, the mad people began to recover, the paralyzed began to run, the deaf began to hear. In fact, we cannot fathom the depth or the extent of the miracles that happened in Dunamis but it’s greater than the ones I have been seeing in Deeper Life Church as said by an attendant.The Miracles were incredible. In fact, Pastor Paul Enenche had to come and give a hand shake to Daddy Kumuyi telling him to come back again. A woman that have not walked for the past 22 years ago, began to walk and run. She said after the prayers, she saw some beings on black attires going out from her leg and that’s when she began to walk. Oh it’s was all wonderful!Pastor Paul Enenche led the congregation into another realm of dancing to fulfill the prophecy given by Daddy Kumuyi.
LAGOS STATE INVASION
one striking feature of the Deeper Christian Life Mini-stries’ Lagos City-Wide Crusade in partnership with the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, besides the rain of miraculous feats in all the venues the train had birthed thus far, has been that despite the huge financial outlay in logistical arrange-ments the church has not collect-ed offering from the numerous participants.The month-long city-wide crusade intended to usher in a new vista of spiritual, moral, physical, material, political and economic transformation for the state and by implication the country at large, was flagged off on September 8 at the Police College, Ikeja and has since moved to different locations in the state as participants silently expressed pleasant surprise that the church was not collecting offering as most churches do.Participants loudly wondered how the church would be able to defray the enormous cost of paying for the venues, renting and moving audio-visual equipment to locations, renting electric generators, rugs, flower pots, chairs, canopies, tents and pay-ment for live television coverage as well as security of life and property. At each of the venues, A reporter noticed several mobile toilets and a brand new standby ambulance for the convenience of partici-pants.A journalist who has covered a few crusades in the past, descri-bed the development as un-Pentecostal, arguing that most denominations would have taken advantage of the huge financial outlay to collect two or more offerings to offset their expense.A spokesperson for the church who does not want his name mentioned, told a reporter that the church does not charge people to attend its crusades, insisting that rather it’s more concerned about winning souls for the kingdom of God.
HARVEST OF MIRACLES
The crusade train had been to 11 locations in the state and at each of those places there had been outstanding testimonies of miraculous happenings in the lives of the participants.
TESTIMONIES
Mrs Marvellous Archibong who was born blind, testified how she regained her sight after Pastor Kumuyi’s ministration and prayer in her state.Archibong said: “After Kumuyi’s prayer that day, I had a dream and in the dream, I saw a man in a white robe operating a lady and the man told her that the lady is me. When I woke up the following day, I started seeing.”Jumoke Adediran, resident of Ikeja, could not contain her joy when she narrated her deliveran-ce from rectal cancer. For her, it was a horrible experience she would never wish her enemy to go through. Like any other participant, Jumoke went to the crusade with great expectation because two years earlier, the devil had afflicted her with cancer of the rectum—abnormal cancerous growth in the lower part of the colon that connects the anus to the large bowel.Doctors told her to prepare for surgery but she hesitated and by the time she was ready the doctors said the situation had grown beyond their imagination, as the cancerous lump had enter-ed into her private part.They then scheduled her for colostomy, a surgical procedure of bringing one end of the large intestine out through the stom-ach to enable her pass faeces, as against the normal use of anus. This, the doctors said, would help her rest her anus. Before the advice for colostomy, they directed her to undergo both hormone therapy and radio-therapy.According to Jumoke, she fini-shed the hormone therapy and was to do radiotherapy for four weeks, “but two days into the treatment, faeces started coming out from my private parts and I was told to discontinue the radiotherapy. Now, they have scheduled me for colostomy, which is to puncture my stomach to rest my anus so that I will not be able to do my normal passing of faeces from the anus.“When my husband told me that Daddy Kumuyi was coming to Police College, Ikeja, I said I must be there. I told God that I would not like to come back home with this sickness.“As our daddy said that we should lay our hands were we had problem, I did and after the prayer, I could not see it again. Before, I could not sit down comfortably, but now I can sit down well.“Many people have gone with this ailment; but God did not allow it to claim my life. Even when I am not faithful, when I have anger, impatient and all the work of the flesh, God has been merciful unto me.“That is why when our daddy made an altar call, I said whatever the devil wants to use against me will not stand. So, I have to come out again to rededicate my life to God. I said, ‘God, I give you everything. Have your way in my life.’ I thank God that tonight I have received the power to live a righteous life, to live a holy life. So, no more going for surgical operation for any-thing. The Lord has done it and the devil has been put to shame,” she stressed.SCANDALSYou dare not scandal pastor w.f kumuyi because your judgement is InstantaneousPastor kumuyi was in his hotel room with his wife and the media organized a naked lady to set him up so while she came to his hotel door shouting for help pastor kumuyi sent his wife to open the door since it is a female his wife went.Behold as she opened the door the naked woman grabbed the wife, thinking it was pastor kumuyi and immmediately media started taking photos only to discover it was not PASTOR W.F KUMUYI but his wife.A lady came out during Testimonies session and lied that pastor kumuyi wanted to rape her in his office when she came for counsellingShe said I don’t know men of God are like this I thought since he is preaching holiness,He is differentImmmediately pastor kumuyi climbed the pullpit took a microphone and said God is the God of judgement with his calm voice in whom all secrets are beared above all He is the God of Judgement the power of God picked the girlStretched her and she died on the pullpit the second girl beside her knelt down and started begging that they were paid to come and carry such news Pastor kumuyi is hardly scandalized because the judgement is Instantaneous.Do you want to die,dare scandalize pastor w.F kumuyi.IF YOU COMMIT SIN YOU CANT CLIMP PASTOR KUMUYI PULPIT pastor was ministrying at pastor kumuyi’s pullpit as he was ministrying, he fell from the pullpit and straight ahead he was placed on disciplineHOLY COMMUNIONIt is been said that when pastor kumuyi is handling holy Communion service and you are a sinner you dare not take the holy CommunionAs it is said during holy Communion service smoke comes out of the churchSometimes people who eat unworthily faintsThere are ambulances available during the service.
BISHOP OYEDEPO SPOKE OF A MAD INDIVIDUAL WHICH HE PRAYED FOR BUT SHE DIDNT RECEIVE HER HEALING BUT COMPLAINED SHE SAW PASTOR KUMUYI AND QUICKLY BISHOP OYEDEPO UNDERSTOOD THE MESSAGE OF THE SPIRIT
And bishop oyedepo pen down a letter and sent her to pastor w.f kumuyi over her problem after a short prayer from pastor kumuyi insanity dissappeared.Pastor kumuyi pened down and said this is your daughter she has been healed.
BIBLE STUDY ALTER
Pastor kumuyi is one of the men of God that closes stadiums down just with Bible studyThere is no stadiums that he goes that is not filledThere are times he doesn’t hold miracle service he just does Bible study and explosion of Miracles stadium filled up.Pastor kumuyi has a unique Grace when it comes to Bible study which other pastors learn from
SALVATION MESSAGE
Pastor kumuyi has been preaching salvation message from JOHN3:16 FOR MORE THAN 30YEARS Crowd keep running to church at different centres just to Hear John 3:16 and Holiness Message and they are not tired,Thousands troop in numbers.
CHURCH TRADITIONS
Pastor kumuyi church doesn’t allow trousers and ear rings still he pulls one of the largest crowd in the world.
BENIN INVASION
Pastor kumuyi was ministrying at benin crusade and Miracles were taking place at UBTH CENTERDEAF AND DUMB SCHOOLwhile pastor kumuyi was ministrying in a program the power of God struck people in the deaf and dumb class and they began to hear and talk.AN AGENTAn agent was on a mission so the agent saw a huge fire coming out from the earth some agents where sent to check what was the cause they went and didn’t come back and the agent went to enquire of the devil himself and the devil told him don’t go there oohIt is kumuyi that is prayingDon’t start talking like pastor kumuyi until you have done twice of what he has donePastor kumuyi is not normal that man is highly endowned with the supernatural.
SHOCKING FACT
Pastor kumuyi is close to his 80s but still he Doesn’t allow anyone to carry his Bible for Him.PASTOR W.F KUMUYI IS A SYMBOL OF HUMILITY
484 years ago on October 6, Reformer William Tyndale, at the age of 42, was executed by being burned alive at the stake. His crime? He had translated the Bible into English and the “common people” were reading it.
William Tyndale was the Captain of the Army of Reformers, and was their spiritual leader. Tyndale holds the distinction of being the first man to ever print the New Testament in the English language. He was a true scholar and a genius, so fluent in eight languages that it was said one would think any one of them to be his native tongue.
Pope Clement VII was the main one persecuting Tyndale about translating the bible into English and had him imprisoned a year and a half before Tyndale was actually killed but Clement died in 1534 and didn’t get to see Tyndale executed. Pope Paul III was in power when Tyndale was burned at the stake.
Catholics are taught that the early vernacular Bibles were untrustworthy, and riddled with errors and that this is why they were suppressed. The fact is that they were too close to the truth for the Roman Church to tolerate.
So what had Tyndale done in his translation that was so heretical? Tyndale had translated the Greek word for ‘elder’ as ‘elder’ instead of ‘priest’, he had translated the Greek word for ‘congregation’ as ‘congregation’ instead of ‘church’, the Greek word for ‘repentance’ as ‘repentance’ instead of ‘penance’ etc. Why were such differences important to the church? The Roman Church has priests, not elders. A congregation implies a locally autonomous group of believers guided by the Holy Spirit and not a hierarchical unified church subject to a Pope. The Roman Church is built on penance and indulgences to the priest and Church, not repentance to, and forgiveness from God. (See Martin Luther’s 95 Theses on Indulgences, the debate that sparked the Reformation). In trying to faithfully render the Greek into English, Tyndale’s translation exposed the errors of the church to the people, which quickly brought the wrath of the Catholic church down on him.
It was common practice, and Roman Catholic teaching, for “heretics” to be turned over to secular authorities for execution. This was nothing more than a transparent and quite unsuccessful attempt to keep the blood off the hands of the Church. As a result, King Henry VIII got blamed for it.
A clergyman hopelessly entrenched in Roman Catholic dogma once taunted William Tyndale with the statement, “We are better to be without God’s laws than the Pope’s”. Tyndale was infuriated by such Roman Catholic heresies, and he replied, “I defy the Pope and all his laws. If God spare my life ere many years, I will cause the boy that drives the plow to know more of the scriptures than you!”
His final words as he stood on the pyre were, “Lord! Open the king of England’s eyes”. The Lord answered that prayer; within 4 years of Tyndale’s death the king of England, in defiance of the papacy, ordered that 4 english translations of the Bible be published and made available to the people. This resulted in the furthering of the protestant movement.
All 4 translations were based on Tyndale’s work. Today there is a Bible publishing company named after William Tyndale, Tyndale Publishing House and the Tyndale Bible. Much of the King James Bible was a result of Tyndale’s work.
Only one complete copy of this first edition is known to exist, and the British Museum paid $2 million for it in 1948!
To ALL of the reformers we owe a debt we can never hope to pay.
One of the best kept secrets from Church critics is the extent of generousity of Dr David Oyedepo and the Living Faith Church Worldwide over which he presides as Bishop. The news about all that was done by him for poor people during the COVID-19 pandemic is out in the open with tangible proof but largely ignored by those who would rather insult him. It is humorous that instead of showing off his numerous deeds to the poor African and humanity at large, he prefers not to flaunt it. As Bishop Oyedepo clocks 66 on Sunday 27th September, Daniel Breakforth reveals just one of these many stories that secured a prayer from Nigeria’s Former Dictator and Strongman, late General Sani Abacha.
On 24 December 1989, Charles Taylor, a Liberian who had escaped from an American Prison fearing extradition to Liberia, crossed over into the Liberian border and led with others together and separately, a rebellion against Sergeant Samuel Doe, the Liberian Head of State. The First Liberian War had commenced and over the next 7 years, about 250,000 people were killed. Early in the crisis, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) established the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) largely made up of Nigerian troops as well as troops from other West African Nations. Samuel Doe, captured at the ECOMOG Headquarters was tortured to death in September 1990 and the war took another dimension with different belligerents fighting for the soul of Liberia. By March 1991 also, the Sierra-Leonean crisis began and over the next 11 years left over 500,000 dead. Worse still, the Rwandan Genocide, a mass slaughter of Tutsi, Twa and moderate Hutu in Rwanda took place between 7th April and 15th July 1994 in which about a million people were murdered.
That same 1989, a 6 year old church which has now become the largest Pentecostal church located in Barnawa, Kaduna in the northern part of Nigeria, Living Faith Church had just moved headquarters to a group of disused brothels at Iyana Ipaja. The Pastor and Leader, David Oyedepo who had on some occasions visited his church members and military friends at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna took some interest in the events in these nations. The 12th June 1993 elections led to the stepping aside of Nigeria’s Military President and eventual resignation of the Interim National Government’s Chief Ernest Shonekan and take over of General Sani Abacha. From September to December 1993, the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) was established and by July 1995, her mandate was renewed.
At this point, Oyedepo who had been monitoring the crisis in these nations and reading stories of the sufferings of war victims going on in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Rwanda was overtaken with compassion. He decided to do something about it. Bishop Oyedepo believes that African challenges can be solved by Africans alone while wars are a manifestation of satanic oppression. The Mandate he received was to liberate the World from all oppression of the devil, through the priority of preaching of the Word of Faith.
This was however not the first time the Living Faith Church was going to be engaged in acts of generousity. As far back as 9th April 1984 when Ten Naira (N10) was the total offering on Sunday service, a member who had challenges was given the whole amount. The Church had therefore always been involved in matters of welfare but crystallized it into an official organ in 1992 by introducing the Education Bursary as well as the Creativity Promotion Forum in Kaduna, apart from other empowerment schemes. Up till today, a chunk of the Church budget is dedicated towards welfare but that is not the point here. The Church subsequently created the Relief Promotion Agency to embark on humanitarian services to provide food, clothing and shelter for victims of natural disasters and civil unrest.
The General Sani Abacha led Provisional Military Council (PRC) and Nigerian Military Government through ECOMOG was leading efforts in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Though same could not be done in Rwanda, Nigeria nevertheless decided to send relief to all 3 African countries. The Government through the Nigerian Ministry of Defence led these efforts. Several shiploads were sent to these countries. Commodore Peter Ebhaleme, a Top Brass Officer in the Nigerian Navy and member of the Living Faith Church who happened to be a member of the Church and Director of Operations at the Naval Headquarters was coordinating the Navy role in the ECOMOG efforts. Being close to the leadership of the Living Faith Church and knowing the interest of Bishop Oyedepo, he acted as go between and link between the 2 organizations. Whenever the Government was to make a delivery to any of the countries, he would inform Bishop Oyedepo. Bishop Oyedepo would consequently mobilize the Church. So much supplies were gathered that sometimes there was no space for worship. Within a short time, supplies of relief were made to Rwanda, Liberia and Sierra Leone in no small measure. Notably, anytime the Ministry of Defence was sending a shipload of supplies on behalf of Nigeria, Living Faith Church would send twice the volume of what the Government of Nigeria was sending. Consequently, a partnership was established between the Nigerian Government and the Church as regards welfare to the needy.
Charity Begins at Home: The Advent into KOMA
In January 1998, a documentary done by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) went viral. It was that of more than 55,000 people living and moving about naked on the Koma Hills in Jada Local Government, Adamawa State of North Eastern Nigeria. The news eventually got to Bishop Oyedepo. He was filled with compassion and decided to do something about it as usual. The announcement was made in Church. I was earning N3000 monthly then and did not think I could afford giving money. Bishop Oyedepo had taught us to give only what we have and not what we do not have. 2 Corinthians 9:7…A message you never hear from his false accusers who always bandy the rhetoric of collecting offering from poor members. (sic) I remember giving my best and only pair of suit which had just been gifted to me by my Dad after he got a new job in an oil servicing company. (my parents had both been jobless for some years) I also added the Aiwa Walkman he got me from Dubai and gave it at the end of that January. This story will be shared another day.
Going forward, the Church members gave generously to the Koma People. The Koma People are mainly subsistence farmers who feed mainly on food crops such as rice, maize and millet which are grown in commercial scale. To this end, the Church raised millions of naira in cash while trailer loads of food and cloths were contributed. However, there was a major problem. There were no roads to Koma hills and because of the terrain, trailers could not go up the Hills to deliver the supplies. In essence, there were no vehicles to convey these supplies. The supplies were thus stuck in Adamawa. Peter Ebhaleme who was now a Rear Admiral and Navy Secretary thought of a solution. Some 2 years earlier, General Abacha had ordered the purchase of TATA Trucks through Umaru Dikko, a former powerful Nigerian Minister of the ‘UK Kidnap Fame’. The Trucks were under the custody of the Nigerian Navy for distribution to the Armed Forces as well as the Nigeria Police once the directive was given. Admiral Ebhaleme did the unthinkable. He loaned 15 of the Trucks to take to Koma to make the delivery before they were allocated as part of the partnership that had been going on with Living Faith Church but he did it by committing a grave error. To avoid the possibility of being denied his request, he refused to inform his boss and the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe. The whole delivery operation took 4 days from Lagos to Koma and back with Admiral Ebhaleme getting up the Koma Hills to witness the movement before flying back to Lagos.
Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately, the NTA news crew in the newly created Adamawa State met the team making the delivery to Koma. Inquisitive on seeing a group comprising soldiers and pastors with trucks tagged ‘Ministry of Defence’ and banners with the inscription ‘Living Faith Church’ asked to know the relationship between the Church and the Ministry of Defence. The team not knowing how the vehicles had come about referred NTA to the Ministry of Defence. At that time, the Minister of Defence was the Nigerian Head of State himself, General Sani Abacha. The NTA Team reported this in the News same day at 4pm, Mrs Ebhaleme saw the news and asked her husband if he got permission. His response was that he did a fast one to help the Koma People.
Admiral Akhigbe Provoked Same night, as the news was on, the CNS who had previously complained about Ebhaleme’s fanaticism called Rear Admiral Ebhaleme and asked him if he was watching the news. He responded in the affirmative. Who permitted the release of the vehicles to Yola, the CNS asked. “I did” Ebhaleme responded. “On whose authority” Admiral Akhigbe asked again. After a quick pause, Ebhaleme answered “The Holy Spirit”. The CNS boiled over. “Holy what? What Nonsense!? What holy rubbish? How dare you? God punish your father, mother and Holy Spirit.” Akhigbe soon reported the matter to Admiral Aikhomu, the former CNS and Vice President under General Babangida who was a close friend and boss to Ebhaleme especially while Ebhaleme was the Director of the Naval Intelligence. Admiral Aikhomu pleaded on behalf of the Navy Secretary knowing the gravity of the offence, a case of misappropriation and misapplication of government property with penalty as dismissal from service.
Akhigbe however added a caveat that since he did not send Ehaleme, he would not defend him before General Abacha. He consequently gave Admiral Ebhaleme the option of a quiet resignation before the Head of State got to know about it. Ebhaleme requested to go and think about it and went into prayers. He believed that his action was not for self-aggrandisement as he had not taken the vehicles to his village in Edo but to Yola. Finally, he decided to serve the punishment instead of resigning. At that time, General Diya and a few others were already in the Jos Prisons and were around this time sentenced to death by firing squad in April 1998. Admiral Akhigbe consequently raised a team to investigate while Ebhaleme was sent on compulsory leave. The Navy Secretary then used the opportunity to spend more time at the Winners’ Chapel in Raji Oba, Iyana Ipaja, always dancing excitedly and praising God despite the circumstances. His Orderly could not understand this and went to inform Bishop Oyedepo that his boss had just lost his job. Bishop Oyedepo sent for the Admiral after service and the following ensued:
Bishop: What am I hearing?
Admiral: I am on leave.
Bishop: How long is your leave?
Sensing no escape, Admiral Ebhaleme opened up to Bishop Oyedepo.
Bishop: “He abused your parents and the Holy Spirit? Give me your hand: You said the Holy Spirit told you? I join my faith with yours and I decree that if anything adverse comes from this matter, God did not call me… Go and tell your Boss what I have said”.
Few weeks later, Admiral Peter Ebhaleme was asked to return to work pending the report of the investigation. Some 3 months later in May 1998 however, during a top security meeting with the Chiefs of Army, Naval and Air Force Staff, a phone call came to Admiral Ebhaleme. It was Bishop Oyedepo asking him to come as soon as possible. Once Ebhaleme got the opportunity, he went straight to Iyana Ipaja to meet the Bishop. On arrival, Bishop Oyedepo presented a letter to Admiral Ebhaleme. It had arrived earlier from the Presidential Villa, Abuja and what was more, it had been signed by General Abacha himself.
The letter read thus:
“Dear Bishop,
It has come to the knowledge of the Federal Government what you and your able Lieutenants have done for the people of Koma Hills…If all religious organisations can do the same thing, Nigeria would be a place worth living for inter-religious relationship. On behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I wish to thank you and your able Lieutenants for a job well done, May Allah bless you.
Signed:
Sani Abacha,
General, Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The Admiral read the letter about 3 times and began to jump and dance in excitement. Eventually, he began to weep profusely, shedding tears of joy.
What had happened was that the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) had heard what Winners’ Chapel had done at Koma by providing supplies and digging boreholes. UNICEF decided to take over from the Church and needed the permission of the Federal Government to do so. Consequently, they sent a request to the Head of State. It should be noted that Nigeria had become a pariah nation at that time with all sorts of sanctions placed on the Country by major western nations and that added lots of significance to the UNICEF request made to Abacha.
Epilogue
To cut this long story short, the next day, Admiral Ebhaleme took the letter to work and presented it to the CNS. Admiral Mike Ahigbe first glanced at the letter; not sure of what he was seeing, he put on his glasses and adjusted himself in his chair and read again. He was confused, looked at Ebhaleme and said “Peter, I am tired of you, Leave my office, just go away”. That was the end of the matter while General Abacha died the next month.
Finally, I could have been rated among the poor church members when I GAVE to the Koma Project. Today, I am no longer in that category; infact for the records, I have given out 2 cars including a brand new one and sponsored a few people who are not my children through secondary school and even Covenant University.
Givers Never Lack and Lackers Never Give! Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in Heaven” (Matthew 5:16) That confirmeth the Word of His Servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers… (Isaiah 44:26).
Every time people disobey God, they widen their distance from God; and distance from God equals disaster in life.
SCRIPTURE: And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:6
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: When your obedience is complete, nothing is permitted to disobey you.
It has been established that the devil fights God’s purpose for your life using some enemies of destiny.
Now, one enemy of destiny is the lifestyle of disobedience. It was disobedience that aborted the destiny of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:24). Every time people agree to disobey God, they have also agreed to abort their destiny.
Now, let me give you three key thoughts on disobedience.
Disobedience to God equals disconnection from destiny.
The glorious destiny of Adam and Eve was aborted because of their disobedience to God (Genesis 3:24). To disobey God is to be disconnected from destiny.
Disobedience to God equals distance from God.
Adam and Eve were driven from the Presence of God at the frequency of disobedience (Genesis 3:24). Every time people disobey God, they widen their distance from God; and distance from God equals disaster in life.
Rebellion to God provokes rebellion from the earth.
Adam rebelled against God and the earth also rebelled against him (Genesis 3:17-18). Everything rebels against the person who rebels against God. When your obedience is complete, nothing is permitted to disobey you (2 Corinthians 10:6). But when your obedience is not complete, everything is permitted to rebel against you.
Beloved, my counsel is, make up your mind to live a lifestyle of obedience.
Remember this: When your obedience is complete, nothing is permitted to disobey you.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Ask God to deliver you from the lifestyle of disobedience.
Make the choice to obey God always.
PRAYER: Thank You Lord for showing me the lifestyle of disobedience as an enemy of destiny. I receive the grace for total and complete obedience, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.
FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: DEADLY ENEMIES OF DESTINY (PART 1).
QUOTE: The extent of contribution you can make in your generation, the extent to which you can speak and be heard, the extent to which you can command and be obeyed is hooked up to your character. Culled from “WHO ARE YOU?” by Dr Paul Enenche.
AMAZING FACT: The horned lizard is able to shoot blood from its own eyes, up to a distance of 3 feet away. The rather bizarre and disgusting act is a defensive mechanism to confuse predators.
PROPHETIC DECLARATION/WORD: Receive the grace to walk in obedience to God in this season in Jesus’ Name.
