This renowned prophet was born in April 25, 1904, Odo-Owa, Oke-Ero Local Goern!ent "wara #tate, in $i%eria& 'n the (a!il) o( *a +aid Lawani oti!i and ada! artha Talabi oti!i. /e died in l) 2, 1959 3a%ed 55 Ede, Osn #tate , sothwestern, in $i%eria.
THE SATANIC PROGRAMS AGAINST APOSTLE AYO BABALOLA Apostle abalola was heaenl) anointed b) God een be(ore his birth. The kin%do! o( darkness 3astrolo%ers6& who! are speciali7ed in detectin% %lorios and special stars o( an nborn h!an bein% were able to decipher the %reatness o( his !inistr) e8ploit. /oweer, his whole !inistr) data and %lor) was sent to #ister Ol(!ila)o Adeba)o who was a de!onic a%ent drin% those era and also speciali7ed in satanic e8ploit in A(rican continent. #he was pertrb on how she can inter-chan%e or !aniplates the %lor) and !inistr) e8ploit o( an nborn child. $eertheless, she sol-ties A)o abalola with a de!onic reincarnate wo!an (ro! the pit o( /ell as his (tre wi(e. READ
ALSO; +iine
inistr)
Enconter
O(
Apostle
A)o
abalola.
Apostle babalola eentall) %et !arried to her bt she (rstrated and terrori7ed his !inistr). /e was a !i%ht) !an o( God who !arried the head witches o( orba land in $i%eria, a de!onic re-incarnated wi(e (ro! the pit o( hell . Tho%h his wi(e (rstrated his !inistr) both ph)sicall) and spiritall) )et, b) Grace o( God he preails.
Confession By Evangelist Olufumilayo Adebayo. During our report meeting in the kingdom o d!rkne""# $hen $e "ent the !"tro%oger&" to go !nd m!de ! re"e!r'h# in order to kno$# $h!t '!u"e the pro(%em !nd re!"on $h) * "ou%" $ere !(%e to m!ke he!+en
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'n their research the) discoer that, this barrier was broken b) God in the land o( A(rica, in $i%eria. The +eil i!!ediatel) co!!anded the! to %o and eri(). :ho is that person that case;s this proble!< But the report made me afraid. Because they came back with a report of a man, whos ! made "ud#ment for, in the kin#dom of darkness, when ! was in $a%ifornia. &hat man name is ca%%ed Apost%e Ayode%e Baba%o%a. &he founder of the church ca%%ed $.A.$ '$hrist Aposto%ic $hurch(
Apost%e Ayode%e Baba%o%a That was the !an ' !ade =d%!ent (or, in or "in%do! that ti!e and ' told )o that, the =d%!ent ' !ade (or that !an is that, ' pro%ra! de!on and re-incarnate de!on as h!an bein%. And ' !ade hi! to !arr) that wi(e. And trl), ph)sicall) on earth, a! sorr) to sa), those people that are !e!ber o( that chrch, knows the stor) o( that chrch er) well. The) knew the er) wo!an that !an !arried didn;t repent ntil she dies.
Not th!t "he didn-t $!nt to repent# (ut e+en though "he repent"# God $i%% not !''ept her# (e'!u"e "he i" ! demon re.in'!rn!te, So# i )ou kne$ !(out th!t 'hur'h "tor) +er) $e%%# )ou $i%% kne$ th!t !m not %)ing, So# $e progr!m "o m!n) thing" !(out th!t 'hur'h# (ut I th!nk God# God he%p th!t m!n# '!%%ed Apo"t%e A)ode%e B!(!%o%! to o+er'ome the po$er o thi" $om!n, E+en though# thi" $om!n di"tur(" thi" him, But "ti%%# he m!ke He!+en, A%% g%or) (e to God, And ' pra) that the /and o( God will co!e pon that chrch and destro) eer)thin% that still re!ain, eer) plantation o( the deil planted in that chrch and the chrch shall lie and %row to the %lor) o( the Lord in ess $a!e. #o, as i was sa)in%. 't was the case o( this !an that co!es ot.
The) sa) it was this !an who was the case, which brin%s the barrier that !ade the n!ber o( people to !ake /eaen like that. And ar%!ent started how a sin%le !an can break sch barrier. 't>s so stron%, or is it, the !essa%e that is so power(l or the anointin%. And the Astrolo%er;s now told s, isn>t the !essa%e or anointin%. )e #i*es order in the church, that the entire member shou%d not wear earrin# and they must not use "ewe%ries at a%%. The aboe con(ession was clled (ro! ean%elist Ol(!ila)o Adeba)o, 990 )ears in kin%do! o( darkness con(ession & The wo!an who spent 990 )ears in the kin%do! o( darkness and her de!onic !aniplation a%ainst Apostle A)o abalola.
Apostle abalola onl) !istake was his choice o( wi(e. /istor) has it that the wo!an he trl) loed was a sin%le !other, been a respected christian leader, the elders o( ?A? considered it an e!barrass!ent (or their leader to !arr) a sin%le !other. /ence, the) !isled hi! to !arr) the spinster who later beca!e the thorn in his (lesh. There was a ti!e she pored pal! oil on the white %ar!ent o( the !an o( God on his wa) to a crsade %rond. Another ti!e a(ter retrnin% (ro! the !ontain a(ter lon% da)s o( pra)ers and (astin%, the wi(e sered hi! a delicios !eal to break his (ast. /e had onl) taken abot 2 or @ !orsels when the wi(e told hi! i thou#ht you were a true prophet, because you shou%d ha*e known by re*e%ation that the chicken in the food was sto%en+ The %reat !an o( God %entl) le(t the re!ainin% (ood and retrned to the !ontain to ask God (or (or%ieness. One o( the da)s, he was e8pected to preach in an open air crsade bt sddenl) his wi(e locked hi! inside the roo! and ran o((. The !an =st look p and cried +Oh Lord, see what my wife has done+ The Lord ask hi! to la) his hands on the wall and i!!ediatel) he (ond hi!sel( in the crsade %rond. /e sall) (loats on air while preachin%, he can also pra) (or @ !onths on knee withot standin% p. READ
ALSO
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O(
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Orna!ents,
Gold And
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On
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*a Apostle oseph A)o abalola once told his (ellow !inisters drin% pra)er !eetin% to knee down (or #/OT pra)er. A(ter abot 2-@ hors o( kneein% down, the !inister beco!es (rstrated and sat down, leain% onl) Apostle abalola still on his knee pra)in% (or abot 5- hors. The (ollowin% da), the) asked hi! aba, i( )o ask s to pra) a short pra)er with )o which took al!ost hors, /ow !an) hors will )or LO$G pra)er last< an) o( s knew Ori Oke Aan 3ontain o( erc) *ra)in% Grond, Erio-Ekiti in Osn #tate $i%eria. This !ontain o( pra)er was (onded b) this sa!e Apostle abalola. There is a spot on top o( that !ontain rock where he knee to pra) and his knee pierced throu#h, %ea*in# a #iant ho%e in the rock due to his %on# hours in prayin#. That hole is still oer there till-date.
/e was the onl) !an that traeled oerseas (or !issionar) works withot airplane or ship. /e sal tra*e%ed abroad with his ministers for missionary work neither by air or water, he on%y #athered his minister for prayer and instant%y they disappeared into thin-ai r. #o!eti!es, when preachin% the an%el will le(t-p his two le%s and he will be%in to !oe and (loat in air withot his (eet tochin% the %rond.
Apostle Ayo Babalola MINISTRY CAIN!. abalola was born o( orba parents at Odo- Owa, "wara #tate, $i%eria. /e was bro%ht p as an An%lican. /e was re%istered at an ele!entar) school at Oto-Awori on ada%r) oad, La%os #tate, in 1914. /e %ot to standard (or, be(ore he beca!e a blacks!ith;s apprentice and he learned it (or two )ears, be(ore he beca!e a stea!roller operator nder the *:+ 3*blic :orks +epart!ent, then nder the control o( Great ritain, learnin% to beco!e a stea!roller drier. A(ter 15 da)s o( learnin% to drie the caterpillar, he was able to drie it withot an) assistance. A(ter nine !onths& he beca!e a !aster in his class. A stea!-roller was (irst %ien to hi! on 1 April 192B to work on the Oso%bo C 'lesha road. On ne 14, 192B he was trans(erred to Akre C 'lesha road. On 9 October 192B at abot 12 o;clock he was b) his stea!roller b) the rier Ariran, it was here he heard a lod oice (ro! aboe like the roar o( thnder which called his na!e thrice sa)in% +oseph/ oseph// oseph. Lea*e this "ob you are doin#; if not, this year you are #oin# to be cut off from the earth.+ A%ain On 11 October 192B, while tr)in% to repair his !achine, he heard an adible oice (ro! the Lord to abandon the =ob and start preachin%. That is how he receied the call and he went into (astin% and pra)er. The watershed in his earl) !inistr) ca!e when when he was co!!anded b) God to %o to his ho!etown to warn his people a%ainst 'dolatr) , (etish practices and eil works. Accordin% to hi!& The #pirit told !e to %o to !) ho!etown , where ' was born. The Lord said ' shold rb !) (ace with ashes and to carr) pal! leaes in !) hand and to b) a bell, which ' was to be rin%in% the !o!ent ' entered the town and ' obe)ed. The oice told !e to tell !) people that nless the) repented , eil beasts wold enter the town to destro) the!. On that sa!e da) ' entered the town with a bell in !) hand. The entire town was !oed and there was %reat stir and consternation as people (led as the) saw !e. The !o!ent the) set e)es on !e the) (led. The Doice told !e to rin% the bell in !) hand rond the town and ' obe)ed. )is peop%e howe*er refused to repent or chan#e their ways they instead summari%y beat 'n him up and his fami%y was sub"ected to hea*y persecution by the peop%e of the town. de(ense a%ainst the prophesied inasion o( the town b) wild beasts the people o( the town ar!ed the!seles with Gns and ?tlasses. /oweer God told /is #erant to tell the! he wold not brin% beasts a%ain bt instead wold brin% epide!ics and it wold start within (ort)- (ie da)s.
At the e8piration o( the prophesied (ort)-(ie da)s and epider!ic o( s!all po8 broke ot and
within @ weeks abot @00 person s had died. t those who repent ed and those who ca!e to the !an o( %od a(ter contractin% the disease were spared. A)o abalola was sent ot o( the An%lican ?hrch o( his illa%e b) his ishop becase !ost !e!ber s o( the ?hrch see isions& speak in ton%es and pra) i%orosl). /e dedced that this behaior was cased b) a swa!p witch, and went to her ht where she ickl) trned into a terrible aba%ibwe bird beast. eali7in% i( he tried a direct (i%ht he wold srel) lose, oseph deised a cnnin% sche!e and tricked the bird- witch into eatin% %o%ndo berries (ro! his hand, allowin% hi! to clonk her on the head and break the crse. This led to his =oinin% the Faith Tabernacle ?hrch in $oe!ber 1929 where he was bapti7ed in La%os la%oon in +ece!ber 1929. 0inistry and hea%in# of the re*i*a% of his mission be#an with the raisin# of a dead chi%d in September 1234. 5hat fo%%owed this in 3 weeks was the hea%in# of about 144 %epers, 64 b%ind peop%e and 74 %ame persons. This also reslted in the desolation o( ?hrches in 'lesa becase their !e!bers trans(erred their alle%iance to the reialist and that all the patients in :esle) /ospital, 'lesa, abandoned their beds to seek healin% (ro! abalola. This diinel) kicked o(( The Great eial o( 19@0, which saw people co!in% (ro! !ost parts o( A(rica and +iaspora withot posters and TD aderts. On ne 25, 19@1 he slew the sinister Ab%ab dra%on o( the =n%les o( o%!bo, wieldin% a hol) sword i!bed with the (ire o( the Lord. Fro! then on, with bell and orba ible in hand, he tored orba land and eastern $i%eria, preachin% abot repentance, and rennciation o( idolatr), the i!portance o( pra)er and (astin%, and the power o( God to heal sickness. 'n 19@0 Faith Tabernacle a((iliated with the ritish Apostolic ?hrch. Then (ollowin% a schis! in the Apostolic ?hrch abot 1940, ablola went with a new independent chrch, ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch 3?A?, where he contined his healin% and reialistic actiities ntil his death. The ?.A.? re%ards abalola as an apostle and his reial !inistr) as the be%innin% o( the chrch. A ?A? retreat center was bilt at 'ke=i-Arake=i, Osn #tate where abalola was (irst called in 192B.
T"E MYSTERIES ENCO#NTER O$ BABAOA . 1. &he 0ysterious &ree of 8si EkitiThis was a tree in a Forest belieed to be inhabited b) eil spirits and it was in this (orest a land was %ien to hi! (or his reial ca!pai%n. This tree had been ct !an) ti!es bt it stood a%ain as i( nothin% hd been done to it,howeer the Apostke went to the tree rand his bell and pra)ed on the tree and it was ct down (oreer. 9. &he terrib%e #ods of !fira There was a %od called e%le worshipped in the 'sowo arters o( the town . This %od was so rthless that no !an dares point a (in%er at it to call attention to it as sch acts led to (or(eitre o( (in%ers or death. 't is said that a bi% p)thon coiled arond the pot on which the %od was placed. This %od was sitate on a bsh) hill and no one dares %oes there (or (ear o( bein% har!ed b) the %od or the p)thon %ardin% it.
:hen the Apostle %ot to this town he reested to isit the hill o( this %od. *eople were concerned (or his sa(et) bt he insisted , then people (ro! nei%hborin% towns and illa%es ca!e
to see what was %oin% to happen. All he took was his bell and his sta(( and he went to the hill with people watchin% hi!. '!!ediatel) he sited this %od and its p)thon he started rin%in% his bell as he !oed towards it. and i!!ediatel) the pot on which the %od stood broke into pieces and the snake (led , when people saw this the) started sin%in% and re=oicin% and the people beheld the *)thon and tra!pled it till it died and the people abandoned the 'dols (or God. Other instances enconter inclde H &he :orbidden forest of E:O ALAA
The ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch has not died alon% with Apost le oseph A)o abalola in 1959. 'n (act it has %rown rapidl) oer the )ears, with !an) chrches nder the ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch na!e bt each chrch with a speci(ic branch na!e. The oseph A)o abalola Iniersit) 3AI a priate $i%erian niersit) located in 'ke=iArake=i in Osn #tate, established b) the ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch 3?.A.? :orldwide is na!ed a(ter hi!, located at the place where he sa)s he was called b) God in 192B. READ
ALSO The
+eath
O(
Apostle
oseph
A)o
abalola.
/e was laid to rest at the Grae *ra)er /ose asole! E((on-Alai)e , Ekiti #tate , $i%eria. *rophet oseph A)o abalola was the (onder o( the ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch , poplarl) called Aladra in $i%eria . /e was credited with healin% powers and salation !essa%es. *osted b) Ean% *alins *al on 19 a) 201 - atin%H .5
.....Your Spiritual Welfare Is Our Concern. For Questions And Inquires Contact "Evang Paulinus Paul" On Watsapp ! #$%&'()*)+(,(-
/ Propheti' Mount!in" CAC 0ounder E"t!(%i"hed Posted by Adeola Shittu on August 21, 2016 •
:h) The) ?all The! Apostle AALOLA *ra)er ontains
One of the calling of late Babalola is evangelism and soul winning, so whenever he went out to plant any church, he would look for a prayer mountain where he would pray for the power
of God on that mountain to consume the spiritual powers that were affecting the community where he went to or where he is going next. During this period, Apostle Babalola established several prayer mountain where he went with his followers to fast and pray in other to seek the face of God before going for revivals then and even after many years after his death, o man of God whom God call that does not visit one or all this Babalola mountain once they are call by God. !n this report Adeola "hittu unveiling some of the popular and prophetic prayer mountain of late Apostle babalola during his #$ year ministry on earth. ministry on earth.
A=OS&LE BABALOLA >RA?ES!DE ! E:O ALA
One o( the historic towns in Ekiti that hae the hi%hest n!ber o( *ra)er ontain is E(on -Alaa)e in Ekiti west local %oern!ent area o( Ekiti state. This town is er) poplar that the) called it Jpra)er townK becase o( the n!ber o( pra)in% !ontains where !an) ?hristian %o to (or spirital incbation, special pra)erand btother it hasbelieers also beco!e torist the ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch and ?A?6 !e!bers %o to aeither to center pra) atwhere the %rae side o( the late Apostle A)o abalola the (onder o( the chrch or sleep in the !asole! beliein% the spirit o( late Apostle wold sole their proble!. :hile !an) brin% ke%s o( water to the %rae with the belie( that the power o( their (onder is still potent and cold still per(or!
!iracles as he did when alie. The white- painted !asole! where the %raes o( the (onder o( ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch ?A?6 Apostle abalola and his (ather, +aid oti!i were bried has beco!e a ecca o( sorts (or its (aith(l. The %raes o( Apostle A)o abalola and his (ather, +aid oti!i hae beco!e a sorce o( receiin% power, healin% and !iracles in E(on Alaa)e, Ekiti- state. On the %rae o( A)o abalola are the (ollowin% words en%raed on the to!bstone& JThis is to ?o!!e!orate the '!!table :ork, the *riceless Loe and #el(less #erice to ankind and Ean%elisation O( Late Apostle A)odele abalola. orn 'n 1904, ?alled to God>s inistr) in October 192B and slept in The Lord on #nda)2th l) 1959 ) Apostolic ?hrch ?oncilK, abalola>s %rae is placed side b) side with his (ather in the sa!e !asole! as his Father +aid oti!i died in 19@5 while his son, abalola died in 1959, so br)in% the! side b) side was the decision o( the ?hrch in other to honor the! (or their i!pact and role in the chrch and the world at lar%e.Another i!portant thin% to note is the O!i strea! water o( which the) called /ol) water, said to hae been blessed b) the late abalola, potent (or healin% and !iracles6. Accordin% to the Grae *ra)er /ose *astor, *astor (s abatnde Adeta)o who heads the !asole! and pra)s (or those who co!e to the !asole! seekin% soltions to their proble!s said *eople co!e (ro! all places to take (ro! the O!i /ol) water o( which the late abalola blessed be(ore he departed, a(ter takin% the water (ro! the strea!, the) wold brin% the water to the %rae side (or pra)er.an) people hae receied !iracles and healin%s (ro! all kinds o( diseases becase the power o( abalola is still there. /e still co!!nicates with his people so he answers pra)ers and with a condition, that is i( )o beliee it will be done .o !st hae (aith that it will be done. Another thin% to note at the abalola e(on Ala)e pra)er center is that the olie oil or water pra) pon at the %rae %ies an instant healin%, when )o pra) on the oil or water which is placed on the %rae and )o take it ho!e and rb the oil on )or bod) or drink it, it wold re!oe all the crses or bad drea! laced on )o and the bad drea!s will stop, becase the spirit o( abalola is still workin% and he has blessed it. an) bi% celebrities and well know !an o( God do isit this pra)er %rond so!e eer) 15 da)s while !a=orit) co!es eer) !onth. 't was also %athered that the %eneral beliee o( !ost ?A? and others who beliees in the God o( 19@0 is that despite the (act that he is dead, abalola still speaks (ro! the %rae and there is no place or chrch in the world where ess> na!e is !entioned withot !entionin% abalolas na!e. so E(on Ala)e were Apostle lie be(ore his death, is one o( the (ew prophetic pra)er !ontain that was (ond and bless b) Apostle abalola and a(ter oer 5M )ears o( his death.
OR! O@E AA8 '0O8&A! O: 0ER$<(
One o( poplar and (a!os abalola *ra)er ontain is the Ori Oke Aan 3ontain o( erc) *ra)in% Grond, Erio-Ekiti in Ekiti #tate $i%eria. This !ontain o( pra)er was (onded b) Apostle abalola and he na!e it ontain o( erc). There is a spot on top o( the !ontain rock where he knee to pra) and his knee pierced thro%h, leain% a %iant hole in the rock de to his lon% hors in pra)in%. That hole is still there till-date. an) celebrit) and an o( God hae one or two testi!on) co!in% to Ori-Oke Aan, the !ontain is open to eer)one while so!e %reat prophet who beliee in abalola>s wonders link their own callin% to Olorn abalola Ori Oke Erio to start their own !inistr) there on the !ontain.
OR! O@E !DO A!ARERE
Ori Oke 'do A=inarere is another power(l !ontain that was discoer b) Apostle abalola in the earl) (orties. 'do A=inarere is located in 'do-'le town o( Ekiti west local %oern!ent area. 't was reiew that the !ontain was a (orbidden (orest that abode arios eil spirit and dan%eros ani!al as at then and it>s er) (ar (ro! the town. Apostle abalola had the direction (ro! God who asks hi! to %o to the !ontain to !eet with hi!. $ot ntil recentl) when staircase was proided to cli!b the !ontain, the hi%hest abalola ontain had no stairs and this !ake people wondered how he was able to cli!b the hills. The 'do A=inarere ontain hae @ di((erent hills. The (irst one was said to be !eant (or %eneral while the second !ontain which is abot 20 !inte walk to the !ain one is strictl) (or wo!en and the last !ontain on the hill is the power hose o( abalola. 't was said that he started (ro! the (irst !ontain be(ore God instrcted hi! to !oe (ollow till he %ot to the last one. 't was wh) he was on this !ontain that a bi% p)thon snake ca!e ot o( the thick (orest and cross oer abalola were he lied down (lat, the wonder was that as the snake was co!in% down on hi!, the snake was cttin% and dr) o(( i!!ediatel). This !ontain is the lon%est in Ekiti that takes oer 1 hor to cli!b to the last hail. Those that isit this !ontain !ost are !an o( God who! so!eti!e God ask to !eet hi! there. :hile does seekin% (or God special attention on a particlar isse pre(er this !ontain to others.
OR! O@E BABALOLA A& ODO-O5A
The ancient cit) o( Odo-Owa in Oke-Ero local %oern!ent area o( "wara state the place o( birth o( the Late Apostle A)odele abalola is another s!all !ecca (or the ?hristian who beliees in the !iracle o( God o( abalola 19@0. Apostle abalola *ra)er ontain is a s!all strea! labeled Odo-'wosan 3!eanin% healin% strea! this strea! was said to hae been sancti(ied b) the Apostle to heal the co!!nit) o( chicken po8 that raa%ed the town in the ha) ti!e o( the Apostle>s ean%elis! that kills the adlts and children then. Accord to in(or!ation %athered, it was said that J#ince the sancti(ication o( the strea! in 194, the strea! has not rn dr) (or a da)K and this attract lot o( people (ro! all walks o( li(e troopin% in with ke%s to take the water with !an) also testi() to the healin% power o( God in the strea!. Aside the strea! is the abalola ontain itsel(, accordin% to histor), it was %athered that the eil (orest as at that ti!e was a deadl) area (or the co!!nit) as the !ontain was initiall) a den o( ti%ers and haen (or eil spirits. abalola>s trip to the eil !ontain started in (ront o( his (ather>s palace a(ter he had been spiritall) trans(or!ed b) God. e(ore he entered the (orest, he was said to hae proclai!ed the Ean%elis! o( ess ?hrist callin% on people to repentance and no one cared. /e was on the !ontain (or two week pra)in% to God, it was drin% that period that God slip the ti%er !oth and the) neer har!ed hi! and since then the people now to the !ontain (or pra)ers while so!e een lie on the !ontain withot (ear o( an) eil spirits or ani!al. Another pra)er area at Ori Oke abalola in Odo-Owa is the rock) area where abalola said the dead appears to hi! be(ore proceedin% on a =orne) to the nknown. 't said that the cae which natre constrcted like a roo! cared e8clsiel) behind a bildin% and in other to identi() the place and the 'ron Gate appended to the oter rocks b) the #pre!e ?oncil o( the ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch was bilt. 't has now beco!e a protectie roo! (or ?hristian torists who keep i%il on the !ontain. 'n (act, it has beco!e one o( the hot spots where pra)ers are held on the !ontain. Also isible on the pra)er !ontain at Odo-Owa is the well protected spots where a bi% snake crawled oer the Apostle while l)in% down in pra)er and the er) spot where the snake was said to hae !)steriosl) ca%ht (ire and brnt.The two spots hae been presered with (ence bilt arond the! (or ?hristians who ca!e (or pra)er on the !ontain. Another !ost pro!inent a!on%st the bildin%s erected on the !ontain was the one called *ower /ose bilt close to the strea! where the Apostle had his (irst bathe as a bab), the bildin% is said to be (or !en onl). Also presered within the *ower /ose is the !ortar sed b) Apostle oseph A)o abalola (or pal! (rits processin% which is the !a=or occpation o( the Odo-Owa people. The !ontain has beco!e an attractie place where ?hristians (ro! all parts o( the world isit (or one !iracle.
OR! O@E !@O
Ori-Oke 'ko)i was said to be the !ost(aorite pra)er !ontain o( late Apostle abalola and he chose a particlar spot on the !ontain where he do spend da)s pra)in% be(ore %oin% (or crsades. A(ter his de!ise, in 1959, becase o( the coenant o( God on the !ontain, people (ro! all oer the world still isit the place to pra). Ori-Oke 'ko)i which is known as A e(%e in the !ontain o( Godis at located at Ede in Osn state. :hen %oin% to the !ontain one needs to %o with his (aith and properl) his or her anointin% oil. Ori-Oke 'ko)i hae di((erent pra)er spot on the !ontain when both !ale and (e!ale pra)er to%ether bt the Top ea%er on the !ontain is strictl) (or !en. This is a !ontain were pra)er are held (or 24 hors a da) and one %et reslt i!!ediatel). This is one !ontain that is been patroni7ed b) all the bi% !en in $i%erian and so!e een co!e (ro! aboard to pra)er on this !ontain either once in a )ear or eer) !onth or arterl).At this !ontain which is re(er to as hol) %rond, no isitor is allowed to wear his or her shoes, be that person the president, %oernor or a traditional rler on the !ontain. The !ontain 3ori oke is (or arios reasons like reakthro%h, !erc) o( God and to spend !o!ent with One will srprised see the kind people, who isit the !ontain o( e(%e. ThereGod. is nobod) thatbe co!es to theto!ontain that o( does not receie answers to his or her pra)er. The late Apostle oseph A)odele abalola established this !ontain in 19@5, at a ti!e when idol worship, ritals, black !a%ic, witchcra(t and so !an) deilish acts were at their peak in the continent.
!@E! ARA@E! =RA
RO8D
The oer thosand acres o( land where Apostle abalola was workin% as a stea!roller alon% Akre C 'lesha road in October 9th 192B b) the rier Ariran when he heard a lod oice (ro! aboe like the roar o( thnder which called his na!e thrice sa)in% JosephN osephNN osephN NN Leae this =ob )o are doin%& i( not, this )ear )o are %oin% to be ct o(( (ro! the earth.K The place is known as 'ke=i-Arake=i toda) and it is located at Osn #tate. The place is a rall)in% pra)er %rond (or !ost ?hristian who doesn>t want to %o to the !ontain. 'ke=i Arake=i has 5 si%ni(icant pra)er sections which beliee that God o( abalola answers pra)ers within a sector. One o( the pra)er spot is the abalola pra)er roo! when he spent da)s pra)in% (or 120 ti!es. Another is the pra)er is the bathin% wash that was said to hae no sorce and it had neer %one dr) since it was sancti() b) the Apostle and this water is sed to heal all kind o( illness, disease and it also open the wo!b o( barren wo!an. 't will recall that one o( the si%ni(icant o( abalola !inistr) while he was alie was the water therap), there is water a%ain !eant (or strictl) drinkin% while abalola pra)er %rond where he do stand to pra) (or hors. Arake=i where the present ?.A.? priate niersit) oseph A)odele abalola Iniersit) na!ed a(ter the late Apostle is cited is the !ost poplar a!on% abalola pra)er !ontain and no ?.A.? prophet or pastors that do hae one or two link with this place. The post 5 *rophetic ontains ?A? Fonder Established appeared (irst on ?it)*eople a%a7ine $i%eria $i%erian ?elerbrities Entertain!ent #tars.
:hat is nie abot ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch co!pared to other deno!inations<
?hrist Apostolic ?hrch is a power(l chrch that God has established thro%h his anointed !an o( God, aba oseph A)o abalola, the (irst prophet and ean%elist o( the !ission, people like it and with God behind hi!, ?A? was established. The nieness o( ?A? is that the power o( pra)er is there, the power o( !iracles and wonders is also there, and likewise talkin% abot o( the :ord o( God is present there so people can worship.
's it eer) ision )o !st reeal, i( not wh)<
'( God %ie s isions, we !st reeal, when God tells s to sa) it, we will sa) it bt i( /e doesn;t per!it s to sa) it, we won;t reeal it, bt concernin% the ision, we will pra) instead o( e!barrassin% the people the ision concerns, dependin% on what it is, we will pra) abot it. That is what is nie abot ?A?, we don;t =st talk and talk, we beliee in pra)ers.
:hat is )or iew on the present da) christian world co!pared to how it was seeral )ears be(ore< :ell, )o know this is the last da)s, this is the ti!e !an) people do whateer the) like, accordin% to 2 Ti!oth) ?hapter @& in the last da)s, there will be a perilos ti!es, sin will be ra!pant, and accordin% to atthew 24, (ro! erse 20, talked abot sin bein% ra!pant on the last da)s. This ti!e is the end ti!e and !an) people will be worldl). #in has entered into the chrch, that is wh) we will not stop to preach and preach all the ti!e.
+o )o beliee in spirital works, and wh)<
God %ae A)o abalola water and it worked. Een withot pra)in% on water, !iracles happen. /oweer terrible (ire is, water will ench the power o( (ire, so it is er) i!portant, and it is in the bible a!es 5 erse 1@ and 14, i( an) o( )o is sick, %o to the elders to pra) (or )o. 't also !entioned anointin% with oil, and those are parts o( spirital works.
:hat is the di((erence between ?A? A)o abalola. And Obadare 3:ose!, are the) one< 's there an) plan on ni()in%<
:e are one, there is no discri!ination at all. ess is one, ess is not diided. There is no di((erence between s in christiando! and we are ni(ied in ?hrist.
or role as the %eneral ean%elist<
' a! the third in co!!and in ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch, ' a! the %eneral ean%elist (or ?A? all oer the world, and !) work is ean%elis!, to win sols into the kin%do! o( God, =st as ess co!!anded s to.
=rophet oseph Ayo Baba%o%a *rint Artic%e !nde *rophet oseph A)o abalola *a%e 2 *a%e @ *a%e 4 irth o( ?A? All *a%es *a%e 1 o( 5
*rophet oseph A)o abalola 31904-1959 Founder of Christ Apostolic Church (Aladura) The story of Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola, his life and work can be thus classified. His unprecedented OkeOye !e"i"al #a"e birth to what is now known as the Christ Apostolic Church (C.A.C.), a $i#erian indi#enous church. His Background Joseph Ayodele Babalola was born on April %&, '* to +a"id !otii and -ada -arta Talabi who belon#ed to the An#lican Church. The faily li"ed at OdoOwa in lofa, a sall town about ninety kiloetres fro lorin in /wara 0tate, $i#eria. His father was the Baba Ijo (1church father1) of the C.-.0.Church at OdoOwa. 2astor -eday ese wrote in his book Itan Igbe dide Wol i Ayo Babalola that ysterious circustances surrounded the birth of Babalola. On that day, it was belie" ed that a stran#e and i#hty ob3ect e4ploded and shook the clouds. On January '5, ''*, youn# Babalola was taken by his brother -. . !otii, a 0unday school teacher in the C.-.0. church at lofa, to Oso#bo. Babalola started school at lofa and #ot as far as standard fi"e at All 0aints6 0chool Oso#bo. Howe"er, he 7uit school when he decided to learn a trade and becae a otor echanic apprentice. A#ain, he did not continue lon# in this "ocation before 3oinin# the 2ublic 8orks +epartent (28+).
He was aon# the road workers who constructed the road fro #baraOke to lesa, workin# as a stea roller dri"er. Babalola's Call to Ministry Just like the Old Testaent prophets, Babalola was called by 9od into the prophetic office to stand before en. His was a specific and personal call. Babalola6s stran#e e4perience started on the ni#ht of 0epteber %&th, '%5 when he suddenly becae restless and could not sleep. This went on for a week and he had no inklin# of the cause of such a stran#e e4perience. The clia4 cae one day when he was, as usual, workin# on the lesa#baraOke road. 0uddenly the stea roller6s en#ine stopped to his utter aa:eent. There was no "isible echanical proble, and Joseph becae confused and perple4ed. He was in this state of confusion when a #reat "oice 1like the sound of any waters1 called hi three ties. The "oice was loud and clear and it told hi that he would die if he refused to heed the di"ine call to #o into the world and preach. Babalola did not want to listen to this "oice and he responded like any of the ;iblical prophets, who, when they were called out by nabled by the power the Holy 0pirit he could spend se"eral weeks in prayer. >lder Owoyei of OdoOwa, that theofprophet re#ularly saw an#els who deli"ered di"ine essa#es to Abraha hi. An an#el appeared in one ofsaid his prayers and forbade hi to wear caps. The Itinerary of Prophet Babalola +urin# one of his prayer sessions, an an#el appeared to hi and #a"e hi a bi# ya, which he ordered hi to eat. The an#el told hi that the ya was the tuber with which 9od fed the whole world. He further re"ealed that 9od had #ranted unto hi the power to deli"er those who were possessed of e"il spirits in the world. He was directed to #o first to OdoOwa and start preachin#. He was to arri"e in the town on a arket day, co"er his body with pal fronds, and disfi#ure hiself with charcoal paints. n Octob er '%5, he entered the town in the anner desc ribed and was taken for a ad an. Babalola iediately started preachin# and prophesyin#. He told the inhabitants of OdoOwa about an ipendin# dan#er if they did not repent. He was arrested and taken to the district officer at lorin for alle#edly disturbin# the peace. The district officer later released hi when the alle#ations could not be pro"en. Howe"er, it was said that a few days later, there was an outbreak of sallpo4 in the town. The an whose prophecies and essa#es were once re3ected was 7uickly sou#ht for. He went around prayin# for the "ictis and they were all healed. 2a +a"id !otii, Babalola6s father, had been instruental in the establishent of a C.-.0.Church in Odo Owa. Babalola or#ani:ed re#ular prayer eetin#s in this church, which any people attended because of the iracles 9od perfored throu#h hi. Aon# the re#ulars was saiah Oluyei who later saw the wrath of ;ishop 0ith of lorin dioce se. nforation had reached the bishop that alost all ebe rs of the C.-.0.Church in lofa were seein# "isions , speakin# in ton#ues and prayin# "i#orousl y. Babalola and the
"isionaries were alle#edly ordered by ;ishop 0ith to lea"e the church. ;ut Babalola did not lea"e the town until June '?. On an in"itation fro +aniel A3ibola, Babalola went to =a#os. >lder +aniel A3ibola at that tie was workin# in badan where he was a eber of the Faith Tabernacle Con#re#ation. He introduced 2rophet Babalola to 2astor +. O. Oduban3o, one of the leaders of the Faith Tabernacle in =a#os. 0enior 2astor >sinsinade who was then the president of the Faith Tabernacle was in"ited to see Babalola. After listenin# to the details of his call and his inistry, the Faith Tabernacle leaders warly recei"ed the youn# prophet into their idst.
Babalola had not yet been bapti:ed by iersion and 0enior 2astor >sinsinade ephasi:ed that he needed to #o throu#h that rite. 2astor >sinsinade then bapti:ed hi in the la#oon at the back of the FaithTabernacleChurch buildin# at &', -oloney ;rid#e 0treet, =a#os. Babalola returned to OdoOwa a few days after that and >lder (later 2astor) J. A. -edayese, paid hi a "isit. The news of the con"ersion of the new prophet reached 2astor /. 2. Titus at Araroi in sinsinade of 3ebuOde, president of the 9eneral Head7uarters of the o"eent and +. O. Oduban3o of the =a#os -issionary Head7uarters. The lesa eetin# was scheduled for the th and lth of July, '?. The Apostolic Council of Jerusale in A.+. *5, and other iportant church councils, are precedents in seekin# ecclesiastical direction on atters affectin# the life and peace of the church ;efore the dele#ation left =a#os for lesa, Babalola had been in"ited to eet the leaders at 2astor . ;. Akinyele6s residence at badan. Fro there. ;. Akinyele and Babalola 3oined the dele#ation to lesa. At lesa, he was introduced to the whole conference and was lod#ed in a separate roo because of his prophetic ission. The representati"es be#an their eetin# and on the a#enda were twentyfour ites. The first was the "alidity of baptis adinistered to a an with any wi"es. The second was the issue of di"ine healin# because soe of the ebers belie"ed in the use of dru#s like 7uinine to cure alaria fe"er. They were only able to discuss the first ite when there was a sudden interruption which 2astor Ade#boye#a described thus@ 1The concilatory talks at lesa were #oin# on, when suddenly a i#hty sweepin# re"i"al broke out at FaithTabernacleCon#re#ationChurch at OkeOye, lesa1. The re"i"al be#an with the raisin# by Babalola of a dead child. The other of the dead child who was restored to life went about spreadin# the news around the town of lesa proclaiin# that a iracle workin# prophet had coe to the town of OkeOye. This attracted a lar#e nuber of people to OkeOye to see the prophet. Accordin# to 2astor -edayese, any of those afflicted
with "arious diseases who cae to OkeOye were healed. -any i#hty works were perfored throu#h the use of the prayer bell and the drinkin# of consecrated water fro a strea called Omi Ayo (10trea of Joy1). The result was that thousands of people includin# traditional reli#ionists, -uslis and Christians fro "arious other denoinations were con"erted to the Faith Tabernacle. As there was no space in the church hall, re"i"al eetin#s were shifted to an open field where en and woen fro all walks of life, fro e"ery part of the country and fro nei#hbourin# countries assebled daily for healin#, deli"erances and blessin#s. Oduban3o testified that within three weeks Babalola had cured about one hundred lepers, si4ty blind people and fifty lae persons. He further claied that both the An#lican and 8esleyanChurches in lesa were left desolate because their ebers transferred their alle#iance to the re"i"alist and that all the patients in 8esleyHospital, lesa, abandoned their beds to seek healin# fro Babalola. Also, -any of the schools belon#in# to the 8esleyan and An#lican Churches, as well as to the ;aptists and the !oan Catholics, closed down alto#ether, and there has not been sufficient oney a#ain to pay their teachers due to the fact that the a3ority of their ebers left to 3oin us1. The assistant district officer in lesa in '? wrote that he "isited the scene of the re"i"al inco#nito and found a crowd of hundreds of people includin# a lar#e contin#ent of the lae and blind and concluded that the whole affair was orderly. -ebers of the church ade fantastic clais such as@ 1Hopeless barren woen were ade fruitful woen who had been carryin# their pre#nancies for lon# years were wonderfully deli"ered. The dub spoke and lunatics were cured. n fact, it was another day of 2entecost. 8itches confessed and soe deon possessed people were e4orci:ed. ;ut the #eneral superintendent of the 8esleyan -ethodist -issionary 0ociety of $i#eria at the tie has described the reports as 1#rotes7uely inaccurate accounts of the operations of Babalola.1 This of course could be the biased "iew of a an whose church was said to be the #reatest "icti of the lesa re"i"al. A re"elation was later #i"en to Ayo Babalola to burn down a bi# tree in front of the Owa6s 2alace. The bi# tree belie"ed traditionally to be the rende:"ous of witches and wi:ards. The 3u3u tree was therefore #reatly feared and sacrifices were usually ade to the spirits belie"ed to reside in it. There was apprehension that this bold act would result in the instantaneous death of Babalola since it was e4pected to arouse the an#er of the #ods. ;ut to the #reat aa:eent of the people, the prophet did not die but rather continued to wa4 stron#er in the =ord6s work. That sin#le e"ent was said to ha"e ade e"en the Owa of lesa and iportant people in the town to fear and respect the prophet. The tidal wa"e of Babalola6s re"i"al spread fro lesa to badan, 3ebu, =a#os, >fonAlaaye, Araoko >kiti and Abeokuta. $o #reater re"i"al preceded that of Babalola. t was popularly held in Christ Apostolic Church (C.A.C.) circles that at one re"i"al eetin#, attendance rose to about forty thousand. Aon# the en of faith who cae as disciples to Babalola were +aniel Oreko ya, 2eter Olatun3i who cae fro Okeh o, and Ootunde, popularly known as Aladura Ootunde, fro Araoko >kiti. These en drew #reat inspiration fro Babalola. Orekoya went on to reside in badan where a #reat re"i"al also broke out at Oke;ola throu#h hi. t was durin# his Oke;ola re"i"al that Orekoya reportedly raised a dead pre#nant woan. After the #reat re"i"al of OkeOye, the prophet was directed by the Holy 0pirit to #o out on further issionary 3ourneys, but e"en before this, people fro other parts of the country had been spreadin# the #lad tidin#s of OkeOye, lesa6s #reat re"i"al, to other parts of the country. Accopanied by soe followers, Joseph Babalola went to Offa, in present /wara0tate. Characteristically, people turned out to hear his preachin# and see iracles. The -uslis in Offa becae 3ealous and for that reason incited the ebers of the counity a#ainst hi. To a"oid bloodshed he was copelled to lea"e. He ne4t stopped in Bsi in >kitiland for his e"an#elical ission and he perfored any works of healin#. Fro Bsi he and his en o"ed to >fonAlaaye, also in >kitiland, where they recei"ed a war reception fro the Oba Alaaye of >fon. An entire buildin# was pro"ided for their cofort. Babalola re7uested an open space for prayer fro the Oba who willin#ly and cheerfully #a"e hi the pri"ile#e to choose a site. Conse7uently, the prophet and his en chose a lar#e area at the outskirts of town. Traditionally the place was a forbidden forest because of the e"il spirits that were belie"ed to inhabit it. The Oba tried to dissuade Babalola and his en fro enterin# the forbidden forest, but Babalola insisted on establishin# his prayer #round there. The issionaries entered the bush, cleared it and consecrated it as a prayer #round. 8hen no har cae upon the, the inhabitants of >fon were inspired to accept the new faith in lar#e nubers.
Babalola6s e"an#elistic success in >fonAlaaye was a rearkable one. Archdeacon H. +alliore fro Ado >kiti and soe white pastors fro O#booso ;aptist 0einary were belie"ed to ha"e coe to see for thesel"es the 1wonderworkin# prophet1 at >fon. ;oth +alliure and the ;aptist pastors reportedly asked soe en fro 0t. Andrew6s Colle#e, Oyo and ;aptist 0einary, O#booso to assist in the work. The success of the re"i"al was accelerated by the con"ersion of both the Oba of >fon and the Oba of Araoko. They were both bapti:ed with the naes, 0oloon Alade3are A#unsoye and He:ekiah Adeoye respecti"ely. After this e"ent, news of the re"i"al at >fon spread to other parts of >kitiland. The issionaries also "isited other towns in the present Ondo0tate . Aon# the were Owo, kare and Oka. Babalola retreated to his hoe town in OdoOwa to fortify hiself spiritually. 8hile he was at OdoOwa, a warrant for his arrest was issued fro lorin. He was arrested for preachin# a#ainst witches, a practice which had caused soe trouble in Otuo inter, present He was sentenced to 3ail for si4 onths in ;enin City in -arch '?%. After ser"in# the 3ail he ;endel0tate. went back to >fon Alaaye. One -r. Cyprian >. Bfon cae fro CreekTown in Calabar to entreat Babalola to 1coe o"er to -acedonia and help .1 Bfon had heard about Babalola and his works and wanted hi to preach in CreekTown. After seekin# 9od6s direction, the prophet followed Bfon to CreekTown. His capai#n there was "ery successful. Fro CreekTown, Babalola "isited +uketown and a plantation where a national church e4isted at the tie. Certain ebers of this church recei"ed the #ift of the Holy 0pirit as Babalola was preachin# to the and were bapti:ed. 8hen the prophet returned fro the Calabar area, he settled down for a while. n '?& he arried +orcas. The followin# year Babalola, accopanied by >"an#elist Tiothy ;ababusuyi, went to the 9old Coast. On arri"al at Accra, he was reco#ni:ed by soe people who had seen hi at the 9reat !e"i"al in lesa. After a successful capai#n in the 9old Coast he returned to $i#eria. The Birth of the CH!I#T APO#TO$IC CH%!CH &CAC in (igeria The spectacular e"an#elis by 2rophet Joseph Ayo Babalola brou#ht with it a wa"e of persecution to all who rushed into the new faith. The ission churches alle#edly becae 3ealous and hostile especially as their ebers constitute d the ain con"erts of the Faith Tabernacle. t was widely ruoured that the re"i"al o"eent was a lawless and unruly or#ani:ation. The $i#erian #o"ernent was put on the alert about the acti"ities of the o"eent. At this tie, the leadin# ebers of the o"eent were ad"ised to in"ite the Aerican Faith Tabernacle leaders to coe to their rescue. The leaders fro Aerica, howe"er, refused to coe as such a "enture was said to be a#ainst their principles. As a atter of fact, the association between the 2hiladelphia #roup and the Faith Tabernacle of $i#eria was terinated followin# the arital probles of the leader of the Aerican #roup, 2astor Clark. The $i#erian #roup then went into fellowship with the Faith and Truth Teple of Toronto which sent a party of se"en issionaries to 8est Africa. A#ain, the fellowship was stopped when -r. C. !. -yers, the only sur"i"in# issionary, sent his wife to the hospital where she died in childbirth. +espite these disappointin# relationships with forei#n #roups, the $i#erian Faith Tabernacle still considered it presti#ious to seek affiliation with a forei#n body. The rationale for this can be found in +. O Oduban3o6s letter to 2astor +. 2. 8illias of the Apostolic Church of 9reat ;ritain of -arch '?'. n the letter Oduban3o claied@ 1The officers of the #o"ernent here fear the >uropean issionaries, and dare not trouble their nati"e con"erts, but often, we brethren here ha"e been illtreated by #o"ernent officers1. This was followed by a foral re7uest for issionaries to be sent to stren#then the position of the $i#erian Faith Tabernacle. -issionaries did coe and, on their ad"ice, the $i#erian Faith Tabernacle was ceded to the ;ritishApostolicChurch. Conse7uently, the nae chan#ed fro Faith Tabernacle to the ApostolicChurch. +octrinal differences between the two #roups soon be#an to appear in fors siilar to the ones that caused the terination of the association with the Aerican #roups. The sub3ect of di"ine healin#, was one of the ost iportant issues. 0oe of the in"ited white issionaries fro ;ritain were found usin# 7uinine and other tablets and this caused a serious contro"ersy aon# the leadin# ebers. t was unfortunate that the
contro"ersy could not be resol"ed and the o"eent subse7uently split. One faction of the church ade Oke Oye its base and retained the nae the ApostolicChurch. The other lar#er faction and in which 2rophet Joseph Babalola was a leader e"entually becae the ChristApostolicChurch. This church had to #o throu#h any naes before -ay '*? when its title was finally re#istered with nuber '* under the $i#erian Copany =aw of '%*. Today, the church controls o"er fi"e thousand asseblies, and reputedly is one of the ost popular Christian or#anisations in $i#eria and the only indi#enous or#ani:ation with stron# faith in di"ine healin#. 2rofessor John 2eel recorded that the ebership of the C.A.C. in 'D5 was well o"er one hundred thousand. That fi#ure ust ha"e doubled by now. The church opened up se"eral priary and #raar schools, a teachers6 trainin# colle#e, a seinary, aternity hoes and a trainin# school for prophets. The years between ' and '5 saw further e4pansion of the church to >n#land, "ory Coast, 0ierra =eone and =iberia. At present, the church has its -issionary and 9eneral Head7uarters in =a#os and badan respecti"ely. Babalola was a spiritually #ifted indi"idual who was #enuinely dissatisfied with the increasin# aterialistic and sinful e4istence into which he belie"ed, the
The truth !(out Apo"t%e A)o B!(!%o%!&" m!rri!ge !nd $ie, *err) artins A%st @1, 201 Articles, /istor) Leae a co!!ent 1,M1M Diews EH ?/O'?E OF :'FEH T/E #A+ EP*E'E$?E OF A*O#TLE AO AALOLA. As !ch as ' chose to be silent on isses raised on this plat(or!, ' coldn>t on Apostle A)o abalola> s case bc o( !) personal relationship with hi!. /ence !) re=oinder. o wold a%ree with !e that not all we (ind on %oo%le are historical (acts, so let s alwa)s eri() in(o (ro! 'nternet. #econdl) pblic (i%res o( the hierarch) o( the Apostle are sb=ect to all sorts o( perceptions and r!ors. :e shold there(ore e8pect all sorts o( n(onded state!ents. 'n historio%raph), there are alwa)s ersions and ariation, incldin% distortions. #ch also e8ist in aba>s case. Apostle A)o abalola was %reat, bt contrar) to the Goo%le sorce, he had spirital !entorsH so!e o( who! were aba Esinsinade who bapti7ed hi!, aba Odban=o and aba Akin)ele. As a prophet, he didnt want to !arr) ori%inall), bt the chrch conselled hi! on the basis o( what people wold be sa)in%, i( he did not !arr) There !a) be two ladies be(ore hi! as clai!ed bt he went to the pra)er !ontain at Odo owa to pra) on the isse. There, a tsetse (l) bit hi! continosl), he wanted to drie it awa), God said $o& he wanted to kill it, God said $o, ntil the tsetse (l) was (illed with his blood and (ell down
b) itsel(. God then told hi! to !arr) bt the one he wold !arr) wold be as the tsetse (l). /e !st not diorce her and !st not har! her. /e asked the other prophets to pra) abot it and it was this +orcas that was con(ir!ed. :hile it was tre that the wi(e was a thorn in his (lesh as clai!ed, it was like that (or !an) (athers o( (aith in A(rican *entecostalis!. This has its own theolo%). 't was like *al who heard three ti!es Q!) %race is s((icient nto thee, (or th) stren%th is !ade per(ect in weakness>. aba hi!sel( wold sa) o%i lai ni s%ar, ise%n ni, so he had no re%ret. /e coped well with her. Another co!pletel) erroneos clai! is to link his death to his to%h wi(e. ost historians actall) clai!ed that his nti!el) death was as a reslt o( lack o( rest, while that !a) sond as correct, the !ain reason was contained in his own speech in the 1950s, which ' woldn>t want to sa) here. The wi(e o( the reered *rophet was trl) to%h, which was attribted to the serios inconeniences the natre o( the !inistr) o( aba %ae her and their !atri!onial ho!e 3so !an) thin%s there, bt she cold not steal bc aba proided (or his ho!e and seeral bene(iciaries o( aba did sa!e.. The pal! oil s)ndro!e was neer heard (ro! ?A? historians, !ost o( who! '>! (a!iliar with& bt we heard o( so !an) other thin%s she did ot o( pressre. The adice nder the Application, is in order, bt two thin%sH the will o( God !an) at ti!es, is not eas) to know and do, as God>s wa)s are alwa)s di((erent (ro! ors. 2ndl), people !st be %eninel) born a%ain, in order to be trl) led b) God. The !inistr) o( %enine prophets to %ide and con(ir! is still alid, e8cept that the) are rare to (ind. '>e written this re=oinder to de(end the (aith o( the ?A? (athers and not becase ' want to enter into an) ar%!ents on what>s app plat(or!. God blessN :ritten b) Fe!i Adede=i The aboe was written in response to a post b) e. Tele!i ?/O'?E OF :'FEH T/E #A+ EP*E'E$?E OF A*O#TLE AO AALOLA. . . ' decided to know !ore abot Apostle abalola. #ee so!e o( what ' (ond on Goo%le. J/is known !istake was his choice o( wi(e. /istor) has it that the wo!an he trl) loed was a sin%le !other, bt the elders o( ?A? considered it an e!barase!ent (or their leader to !arr) a sin%le !other. /ence, the) !isled hi! to !arr) the spinster who later beca!e the thorn in his (lesh. /er na!e was +orcas. A ?hristian na!e is not the sa!e with a ?hristian at heart. JThere was a ti!e she pored pal! oil on the white %ar!ent o( the !an o( God on his wa) to a crsade %rond. Another ti!e a(ter retrnin% (ro! the !ontain a(ter lon% da)s o( pra)ers and
(astin%, the wi(e sered hi! a delicios !eal to break his (ast. /e had onl) taken abot two or three !orsels when the wi(e told hi! Jl tho%ht )o are a tre prophet, becase )o shold hae known b) reelation that the chicken in the (ood was stolenK. The !an o( God %entl) le(t the re!ainin% (ood and retrned to the !ontain to ask God (or (or%ieness. JAs anointed as he was, he had no !entor, real reason (or his wron% choice o( wi(e which sadl) and eentall), directl) or indirectl) led to his nti!el) death.K A**L'?AT'O$H '( )o want to (l(ill prpose and lie lon%, )o !st b) all !eans, at all cost !arr) OI wi(e. $ot the one a prophet, pastor, priest or parents reco!!end, bt the one God reco!!ends. *eople can onl) %ide. The lti!ate choice !st be born ot o( )or personal coniction.
The death and last da) o( Apostle oseph A)o abalola o( The ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch was a nie and !ost %lorios to behold in the li(e o( eer) %enine ?hristians. /e (o%ht the %ood (i%ht, kept the (aith and the (inal drop his war(are pra)in% sword and ri%hteos hel!et o( %reat e8ploit at the (eet o( his !aster& or Lord ess ?hrist. The enconter o( his death and his last (ew words )or are abot to read was neil b) one o( his (ellow !inisters o( the Lord in sa!e !inistr). :ho was a co!panion and (ellow soldier who stood beside or dear beloed *a Apostle oseph abalola.
"O% A&OSTE AYO BABAOA 'IE'. Intil his sdden departre to %lor) on #nda), l), 1959, Apostle oseph A)o abalola showed no si%n o( illness. On Frida) 24 l), he retrned to 'badan to attend the %eneral concil>s !eetin% slated (or that da). On #atrda) !ornin%, l), Apostle abalola condcted the ornin% *ra)er (or !inisters and !e!bers liin% in the residence o( ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch& Ol%bode, 'badan and pra)ed (or eer)bod). READ ALSO The #atanic *ro%ra!s A%ainst Apostle oseph A)o abalola.
The sa!e da), he sent two o( his (ollowers, ichael and another (ellow to !e at Ede that ' shold prepare a place (or hi! to sleep. ' neer knew he was talkin% o( his (inal sleep. Apostle A)o abalola arried Ede arond H@0 p! in the eenin% that #atrda) and he was %ladl) receied. e(ore his arrial, ' had prepared !) bedroo! read) (or hi!. :e ensred that nobod) was allowed to rsh into the bedroo! with hi!& (or it was Apostle abalola>s habit that he neer trned awa) an)bod) who ca!e to hi! (or pra)er and conselin%, no !atter how wear) he !i%ht be. A(ter pra)er, ' in(or!ed hi! that his !eal was read). /e declined to take an) !eal bt reested to be allowed to hae so!e sleep, becase he had been holdin% series o( !eetin%s since the past nine da)s with little or no rest. /e woke p three hors later and took so!e tea and slept o(( a%ain. At 4 a.!. on #nda), he woke p, took his bath, took so!e tea and had his !ornin% !editation withot an) distrbance.
At o>clock, ' went to hi! in the bedroo! and he be%an to talk abot a %reat conention which will soon be held at his ho!etown, Odo-Owa. /e was speakin% in parables, so ' did not sspect that he was talkin% abot his approachin% death. /e directed !e to call in *rophet aba=ide who was in the ad=acent roo!. oth o( s knelt down beside his bed and he be%an to narrate to s how he be%an his !inistr). 't was sch a sbli!e e8perience. oth o( s =st listened& we did not tter a sin%le word drin% the corse o( his narration. A(ter this, we knelt down (or pra)er. The three o( s pra)ed. ' took the lead. *rophet aba=ide (ollowed. :hen it was Apostle abalola>s trn to pra), he pra)ed (or a er) lon% ti!e, pra)in% (or the chrch, the leaders and (or s too. A(ter the special serice, people ca!e to Apostle abalola in !) bedroo! and bid hi! (arewell be(ore leain% (or their arios destinations with =o) and h!or. READ ALSO The '!portance O( *ra)er 'n The Li(e O( Apostle abalola.
/e bid eer)one (arewell and pra)ed (or the!. $obod) sspected thro%h his speech or action that death was lrkin% in the corners. :e le(t hi! alone to attend to those who were waitin% to see hi!. eanwhile, ichael Osabi and #a!el Olwatsin, the two )on% !en who sed to wait on hi!, re!ained with hi! as he took a nap. :hen he woke p, he called !e and retrned !) coerin%-cloth to !e. /is action srprised !e and ' asked, Jaba, wh) are )o doin% this
Arond 5 p.!. as he la) on the bed, Apostle oseph A)o abalola breathed heail) three ti!es, sa)in% a(ter, Jin the na!e o( the Father, and o( the #on, and o( the /ol) Ghost.K /is breathin% was like the r!blin% o( a rain-stor! and there was a %reat ibration in the bedroo!. As this was happenin%, his personal attendants 3ichael and #a!el ran to call !e to his bedside be(ore he %ae p the %host. :e be%an to pra) and ickl) sent (or the chrch leaders who had %one to chrch (or the eenin% serice.
:e all pra)ed (or his restoration. t while this pra)er was on, the Lord opened !) spirital e)es to see what was happenin% in the heaenlies. The heaenl) hosts had co!e to !eet this %reat prophet and =o)(ll) ad!itted hi! into the %lor) aboe. READ
ALSO; +iine
inistr)
Enconter
O(
Apostle
A)o
abalola.
The chrch )e had %aid down his sword at esus feet. So he cou%d not return to earth a#ain. leaders and the elders who were present arran%ed (or Apostle abalola>s corpse to be taken to E(on-Alaa)e that sa!e ni%ht. *osted b) Ean% *alins *al on 19 a) 201 - atin%H .5
.....Your Spiritual Welfare Is Our Concern. For Questions And Inquires Contact "Evang Paulinus Paul" On Watsapp ! #$%&'()*)+(,(-
%istory of &hurch Let s now trn to the tenets and theolo%) o( the ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch, which is the parent bod) o( the ethel chrches (or withot a %ood nderstandin% o( the ?A? no one can nderstand the nieness o( ethel in the !ist o( ?A?, its raison d’être and its (nctions or indeed strctre. The ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch beca!e a (nctional and re%istered independent chrch in 1941 de to the !inistration o( its %reatest ean%elist oseph A)o abalola. 't had howeer started as a preios ho!o%enos nit in 191B as Faith Tabernacle whose !ain doctrine was diine healin%. 't !eta!orphosed into The Apostolic ?hrch in the earl) 19@0s de !ainl) to the need to call the Apostolic ?hrch o( :ales16 to sere as sperisor) bod) to an 'ndependent A(rican chrch within a colonial settin%. 'n the earl) 19@0s the colonialists cold not nderstand how A(ricans cold set p their own chrch and rn it withot help (ro! otside the continent especiall) i( their practices were controersial and crisis ridden The colonialists were not interested in doctrine or indeed theolo%). 't was not their interest to deter!ine whether ?A?, Faith Tabernacle or indeed TA? were wron% or ri%ht. As (ar as the) were concerned the) cold een be akers or shakers (or all the) cared. :hat was i!portant is that the naties did not (eed the pblic with wron% doctrines that can lead to nrest and precipitate !a)he! and disorderliness. 't is a!a7in% tho%h that the earlier independent chrch, the ?herbi! and #eraphi!, and !an) others, were le(t alone and not !onitored. This was si!pl) becase the) were iet and did not !ake too !ch noise since the) did not case reoltionar) reials as the Faith Tabernacle did in 19@0. The ke) to nderstandin% the histor) o( the ?A? lies in the Oke O)e reials which be%an in l) 19@0 and contined nabated till #epte!ber a(ter which s!aller and scattered ones occrred oer !ainl) the western part o( the contr) and went on a (ew )ears !ore. The reials were i!pro!pt and nplanned, hi%hl) char%ed with seeral !iracles happenin% si!ltaneosl) and with a (laor o( water she wold ba((le theolo%ians (or
)ears to co!e- the se o( water (or ?hristian !inistration, which is stran%e to the ible or indeed ?hristian practice oer the a%es. This was new, bt the water o( Oke- O)e strea! was blessed b) abalola so !ch so that an)one who drank the water instantl) had !iracle o( healin% or so!eti!es death, dependin% on i( heRshe is pra)in% (or delierance or heRshe is an nrepentant (orce tr)in% to %a%e the power o( God. 'n the words o( the present *resident o( the ?A? who !entioned a s)nod !eetin% o( the Faith Tabernacle (ro! where the reials be%an 3(irst !entioned b) the ritish *eel who obtained his own sorces (ro! !a%a7ines and newspapers pblished at the ti!e incldin% Akede Eko, The Yoruba News, Western Equitorial Africa Church Magaine and !iocese of "agos #$nod %e&orts to na!e a (ew. 26
The !eetin% was schedled to hold on 9-10RMR@0 at 'lesha with twent) (or ite!s on the a%enda. $!ber one on the a%enda was abot whether a ?hristian shold !arr) !ore than one wi(e. /ain% settled with this, that it was not proper, the) !oed on to the second point on the a%enda which was whether a ?hristian shold se !edicines (or healin% or not< This was er) controersial, and it ca!e p with the ar%!ents. The God who sat in heaen saw the loe o( these dedicated saints who wold want the people to know that /e is still alie, and /e i!!ediatel) ca!e to their resce. An incident o( one death occrred which distracted the attention o( the attendants at the !eetin%. The #pirit o( God !oed abalola to arrest the sitation. /e pra)ed in the na!e o( ess ?hrist and the dead was instantl) bro%ht back to li(eN The news o( this !iraclos eent spread arond like a panora!o. *eople rshed b) thosands to Oke Oo)e, the ene o( the !eetin% and the si%ht o( the incident o( the !iracle o( raisin% the dead. 't was =st like a drea! as hndreds o( people were instantl) deliered (ro! their incrable disease. The !eetin% was pt to an abrpt end (or eer as God indicated /i!sel( b) !iracle and healin%s. The spirit o( God descended pon abalola withot a !easre. The blinds were !ade to see, the la!es walked, the dea( heard and eil spirits ca!e ot cr)in%. The !a%icians and those who possessed dan%eros weapons o( black power sb!itted the! (reel). Those who ca!e with eil spirits and sorcer) powers (ell (lat be(ore God>s power. +ew was (allin% on people (ro! heaen een drin% the da) ti!e when the sn was bri%htl) shinin%. /ndreds o( people receied baptis! o( the /ol) #pirit. All the bshes arond were brshed b) the (eet o( the sr%in% crowds who thron%ed the reial %rond da) and ni%ht. /ndreds o( thosands repented o( their sins and accepted the Lord ess ?hrist as their #aior. :ithin a week, it was esti!ated that oer a !illion sols attended the reial and were %reatl) blessed. abalola sed to !inister to people all da) lon% and pra)ed thro%hot the ni%hts, (or the rein(orce!ent o( power. *eople walked !iles on (oot to attend the reial (ro! the (or corners o( the contr). Those who were in attendance co!prised o( all the classes o( the people one cold think o( in the societ). *eople all oer :est A(rica and Eropean contries ca!e to witness the reial. Eer)bod) tho%ht the world was %oin% to an end& people were %reetin% the!seles %ood lck in readiness (or ?hrist>s #econd Adent. '( ?hrist were to co!e at that ti!e onl) (ew people wold be le(t behind as (aith was so hi%h and the people repented o( their sins and %ot saed.
All the e8istin% chrches at 'lesha Township were al!ost e!ptied as their !e!bers trooped to the reial %rond at Oke Oo)e all the week da)s incldin% #nda)s to receie blessin%s (ro! the serant o( God. The chrch leaders cold not la) their hands on their !e!bers to brin% the! back. This started to %enerate bitterness, bt it was to no aail as God>s power !oed be)ond h!an control. *eople who ca!e (ro! di((erent places went back to herald the %ood news. #o!e took the blessed water to their sick ones at ho!e, and a(ter drinkin% it !iracles o( healin% reslted.>@6
The )ears a(ter 19@0 saw the %radal or%ani7ation o( the conerted (ro! the Oke- O)e reials into The Apostolic ?hrch bt be(ore then !ost conerts si!pl) =oined an) chrch o( their choice thereb) helpin% to swell the n!ber o( ?hristians worshippin% in $i%eria and be)ond.
*eel said o( this n!ber o( ?hristians
This is !ost !arked in 'lesha-'(e itsel(, and can be (rther illstrated (ro! the attendances at /ol) Trinit) ?hrch, O!o(e 'lesha, the second o( the two bi% An%lican chrches in the town. The )ears be(ore show a stead) rise in the #nda) attendance, which contined 3despite the talk o( e!ptied chrches thro%h the !ain reial )ear o( 19@0 to reach a %rand peak in 19@1< :e read o( abatope wantin% to start a new con%re%ation, bt bein% restrained, in 19@1. t in the sa!e )ear the new !issionaries o( the Apostolic ?hrch ca!e ot, and b) 19@2, with the per!ission o( the Owa and the +istrict O((ice, the) be%an to or%ani7e the new Aladar conerts, so!e o( who!, to =d%e (ro! the O!o(e (i%res, had alread) been attendin% that chrch. Fro! 19@2 to 19@5, as the apostolic chrches %ot the!seles established, the (i%res dropped each )ear, ntil, with the late thirties, the) be%an to recoer a%ain. t the Great eial o( abalola and his associates !ade a per!anent !ark on chrches o( all kinds>46.
t in 1941 a(ter the %reat schis!, the ?A? e8ited as a separate entit) and (ll) reco%ni7ed b) the then colonial %oern!ent as sch. 'ts (or!ation and na!e was done on 1@ l) 1941. #ince then it had !oed into considerable chrch plantin% processes. ?hrch plantin% in the ?A? is per(or!ed b) la) and non la) !e!bers, incldin% the cler%) who (eels !otiated. ost !e!bers o( the ?A? are co!!itted to the chrch (or the) (eel this is the last chrch o( the last da)s. /ow else can )o e8plain the otporin% o( the /ol) #pirit with all its !ani(estations, !iracles and spernatralis! e8cept that God (aors the chrch< /ence no one see!s interested in conte!platin% another schis! or break awa) (ro! the ?A?. /ence the ethel section o( the ?A? see!s to be secre in the ?A? (or now (or wh) wold it break awa) (ro! sch a bod) that see!s so (aored b) God with si%ns and wonders (ollowin%. 'ndeed *eel obsered in 19B
A sre) in 195B conclded that the ?hrist Apostolic chrch was the third lar%est chrch in :estern $i%eria, with B@,000 attenders. 'n 195 this wold be oer 100,000.56p 11@.
't was a (ast %rowin% chrch in those )ears and was responsible !ainl) in encora%in% stbborn (etish orba people in beco!in% conerted to ?hristianit). Let s now e8a!ine care(ll) the practices o( the ?A?
Aladuraism The ter! aladura is deried (ro! orba and si!pl) !eans one who pra)s. 't was coined to describe those who en%a%ed in nsall) lon% pra)ers in the earl) da)s o( orba ?hristianit) and arond the 1920-@0s. The er) (irst %rop to be reco%ni7ed as pra)er people were the ?herbi! and #eraphi! %rop which be%an in 1925 who were known in those earl) da)s to spend so!eti!es p to twele hors or !ore pra)in% (or the sick. Till toda) the leader o( the ?herbi! and #eraphi! ?hrch is called 'aba Aladura 3(ather o( pra)ers, a title (irst worn b) the er) (irst 3or one o( the (irst leader3s o( the chrch- oses Ori!olade. There was no connection whatsoeer between the reials o( 19@0s and the ?herbi! and #eraphi! #ociet) or or%anisation which latter beca!e obiosl) non-ean%elical a(ter the death o( the reered 'aba Aladura oses Ori!olade in 19@@. /ence the broad ter! Aladura is si!pl) no lon%er acceptable (or it now si%ni(ies an) one who wears white %ar!ent, with !ini!al e!phasis on the abilit) to pra). #tran%el) eno%h the ?A? does not een wear white %ar!ents and has neer done so. At a ti!e, the se o( the praise /ebrew word Q/allel)a> was also the de(inin% character o( the QAladra>. Toda) !ost neo-pentecostal En%lish speakin% %rops se Qhallelu$ah> er) o(ten to inclde the occltl) *entecostal within the rank and (ile o( the pre non-pentecostal ean%elicals.
'n 1950 .A. Aina, who had introdced Faith Tabernacle to 'badan, lanched a plan (or an Aladra nion to !ark the 25 th anniersar) o( the !oe!ent in 'badan. The ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch, lar%est se%!ent b) (ar o( the Aladra !oe!ent, re=ected the Qsper(icial nit)> o( Qa sort o( Federal Inion o( all the Aladras>, (or it did not want to let %o its Q%rip o( the Apostolic trth>. #o!e !e!bers, indeed, ob=ect to the epithet Qaladra> (or it has co!e to si%ni() an) kind o( s!all prophet. There is in e8istence a *entecostal Inion o( the ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch with so!e others, and Qpentecostal> is how the ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch likes to be labeled. The General ?oncil decided that renion wold not be so%ht with an) chrch which was not Qreall) *entecostal inwardl), or reborn totall).> #tead) pro%ress has been !ade at co!!nicatin% these doctrines to the chrch !e!bers> p 14B.
There is nothin% in the tenets o( ?A? or indeed practice or doctrine that is radicall) di((erent (ro! !an) !odern *entecostal %rops in the entire world. This is wh) it is !ore apt to separate
the Aladura into its arios %rops as E!!anel Eni (irst did. ost o( these so called Aladura are white %ar!ent chrches which s%%est cltis!. The ?herbi! and #eraphi! hae pro(ond an%elolo%) and er) li!ited de!onolo%) and ?hristolo%) and the) !st wear white %ar!ent (or their serices.6 This practice does not e8ist in the ?A?.
&A& 'entecostalism()* On ?A? pne!atolo%) accordin% to *eel
The ?hrist apostolic doctrine is !ch !ore (or!all) *entecostal, bt in practice, as people actall) sa) their pra)ers, the persons o( God the Father, and especiall) ?hrist, hae !ch %reater pro!inence. The appeal o( the doctrine o( ?hrist>s #acri(ice has been noted, and all pra)ers said in the chrch conclde with the words l’oruko (esu )risti, *luwa wa, Qin the na!e o( ess ?hrist, Or Lord>, (ollowin% the in=nction Q:hatsoeer )e ask in !) na!e, it shall be %ranted nto )o.> ?hrist, hain% been !an as well as God is !ch the !ore appropriate ehicle (or pra)ers, so!eti!es seen, perhaps, as lower than God the Father, the all-power(l Oba.>B6
?A? is a pentecostal chrch &ar e+cellence. The (act that it !ade itsel( into an A(rican independent chrch shold not beclod that i!portant point (or its parent bod) is the still The Apostolic ?hrch o( :ales which nrtred it in doctrine ntil the break awa) o( 19@9. To l!p the*eel ?A? to%ether with ?herbi! #eraphi! whose doctrines neer ean%elical as did sa), is to do the in=stice to theand ori%in and deelop!ent o( thehae ?A?. ?A?been is decidedl) ean%elical and not a clt. 't is pro(ondl) *entecostal and also beliees in diine healin%. Aside (ro! ontanis!96 which ca!e p in the 2nd centr) a(ter ?hrist in the chrch, the charis!atic %i(ts o( the #pirit disappeared and (ro! the chrch 3or so we think 106 onl) to e!er%e in earl) 1900s. The %rop that !ana%ed this e!er%ence has been labeled *entecostal becase o( the si!ilarit) o( its !ani(estations o( the /ol) #pirit to *entecost. The pentecostalist appeal to the %i(ts o( the /ol) #pirit as en!erated b) *al in his letter to the ?orinthians is the proo( te8t.
$ow to each one the !ani(estation o( the #pirit is %ien (or the co!!on %ood. To one there is %ien thro%h the #pirit the !essa%e o( wisdo!, to another the !essa%e o( knowled%e b) !eans o( the sa!e #pirit, to another (aith b) the sa!e #pirit, to another %i(ts o( healin% b) that one #pirit, to another !iraclos powers, to another prophec), to another distin%ishin% between spirits, to another speakin% in di((erent kinds o( ton%es, and to still another the interpretation o( ton%es. All these are the work o( one and the sa!e #pirit, and he %ies the! to each one, =st as he deter!ines.1?or 12HM11.
And in the chrch God has appointed (irst o( all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers o( !iracles, also those hain% %i(ts o( healin%, those able to help others, those with %i(ts o( ad!inistration, and those speakin% in di((erent kinds o( ton%es> 1 ?or 12H2B.
Let s now en!erate the %i(ts o( the #pirit 1. essa%e o( wisdo! 2. essa%e o( kn owled%e @. Faith 4. /ealin% 5. iracles . *rophec) M. +istin%ishin% between spirits B. Glossolalia116 3speakin% in ton%es 9. 'nterpretation o( t on%es
Then the ne8t section on %i(ts personali7es the %i(ts (or worker and proides a basis (or classi(ication o( workers in the chrch as (ollows •
Apostles *rophets
•
Teachers
•
iracle workers
•
/ealin%
•
/elpers
•
Ad!inistrators
•
#peakers o( ton%es
•
The !a) haeand !ore than one o( the aboe. ThsApostles126 (or e8a!ple, sall) the apostle shold haeworkers %i(ts o( !iracles, possibl) (aith and%i(ts healin% as %i(ts. do not posses abilit) to prophes) 3altho%h oanah had a !odic! o( this bt lost it when she be%an to e8hibit si%ns o( an apostle, and !an) do not een speak in ton%es. 't is rare to hae an Apostle who is also a prophet.
The nine %i(ts o( the spirit in ?hrch doctrine is =st as i!portant as the (rits o( the #pirit as en!erated b) *al in Gal 5H22-2@.
t the (rit o( the #pirit is loe, =o), peace, patience, kindness, %oodness, (aith(lness, %entleness and sel( control. A%ainst sch thin%s there is no law.
$otice that the chrch 3?A? teaches nine %i(ts erss nine (rits o( the #pirit. 't is a (nda!ental teachin% in both TA? and ?A?. 't is also clear that the (nction o( the %i(ts di((er (ro! those o( (rits. :hile the %i(ts are %ien to )o withot )o deserin% it 3)o can ask o( corse )o nor!all) bear the (rits i( )o hae the #pirit. The (rits are the s)!pto!s o( (indin% )orsel( #pirit (illed. The !echanis! o( one is di((erent (ro! another. For e8a!ple the %i(ts co!e a(ter the aptis! o( the /ol) #pirit and can occr in an nrepentant sinner, bt certainl) not in an nbelieer. t the (rits co!e onl) a(ter repentance which is represented b) water baptis! 3see below and a conscios trnin% awa) (ro! sin. 't is the e((ect o( the (irst in(illin% o( the /ol) #pirit thro%h water baptis! that is re(erred to as bein% born o( water 3n @H5. An nrepentant sinner, no !atter how !ch %i(ts he can !ani(est, cannot !ani(est a sin%le (rit o( the #prit. This is si!pl) a deriation (ro! the de(initions o( the words Q%i(t> and Q(rit.> The ali(ication (or %i(ts can there(ore be %arnered to be aptis! b) (ire 3#pirit bt (rit co!es (ro! baptis! o( water 3repentance. This distinction has been a proble! in the ?A? (or )ears (or so!e beliees that once )o hae receied the baptis! o( the /ol) #pirit with otward !ani(estation o( its %i(ts, )o hae to !ani(est the (rits. Toda) the pheno!enonolo%) o( sla)in% in the #pirit (irst poplari7ed in poplar !inistr) b) "athrine "l!an and other A!erican preachers in the earl) 20th centr) is now well known in teleision !inistr) in which the preacher si!pl) toches or blows air and the indiidal (alls down. $o one in his ri%ht senses can sa) that sch !eans baptis! o( /ol) #pirit or indeed repentance.1@6 #ch is what happens a lot o( ti!es when a tarr) pra)er !eetin% (or receiin% /ol) #pirit or la)in% on o( hands (or baptis! o( the /ol) #pirit occrs. 't has no si%ni(icance nless the indiidal (ollows p with consistentl) seekin% the (ace o( God or indeed the /ol) #pirit with %enine repentance.
&A& Doctrines The (ollowin% is placed on baptis!al card (or adlt baptis!. 'n the ?A? there is no roo! (or paedobaptis!. This is 1@ point tenets o( the ?A? which eer) ?A? !e!ber is e8pected to beliee, s!!ari7ed. 1. The Trinit) 2. epentance and bein% born a%ain is a !st (or all h!ans withot which the) will end in eternal da!nation o( hell.
@. Dir%in birth, sinlessness, death o( atone! ent, resrrection, ictor), ascension and intercession o( ess ?hrist (or the belieer. /is second co!in% to earth to institte the !illenni!. 4. sti(ication and sancti(ication o( the belieer (or the (inished work o( ?hrist. 5. aptis! o( the /ol) #pirit (or the belieer and si%ns that (ollow. . $ine %i(ts o( the #pirit (or co!(ort, teachin% and %rowth o( the ?hrch which is the bod) o( ?hrist. M. aptis! b) i!!ersion and the Lord>s spper. B. The ible was written b) inspiration (ro! God. 9. ?hrch %oern!ent inoles apostles, prophets, ean%elists, pastors, teachers and deacons. 10. An) one can (all (ro! %race and be lost eternall). 11. Tithin% is a !st (or all ?hristians. 12. Absolte belie( in diine healin% thro%h the a%enc) o( the power o( the /ol) spirit (or the sick drin% periods o( illness, disease, epide!ics, sores, dan%ers and sdden har! withot the se o( !edicine or hain% (aith in the ph)sician bt (aith in God alone (or healin% 3's 5@H5, k 1H1B, as 5H14-15. 1@. elie( in God ehoah ireh to proide (or his people in ti!es o( need withot borrowin% and also (or belieers to %ie al!s and loans withot interest 3*hil 4H19, o! 1@HB, 1 Ti! H-10, *s 15H5.
Ordo salutis :a)ne Grde! the (a!os s)ste!atic theolo%ian (ro! Trinit) ?olle%e, en!erates his ordo salutis in his book
The order o( salation 1. Election 3God>s choice o( people to be sa ed 2. Gospel call 3proclai!in% the !essa%e o( the %ospel @. e%eneration 3bein% born a%ain 4. ?onersion 3(aith and repentance 5. sti(ication 3ri%ht le%al standin%
. Adoption 3!e!bership in God>s (a!il) M. #ancti(ication 3ri%ht condct o( Li(e B. *erseerance 3re!ainin% a ?hristian 9. +eath 3%oin% to be with the Lord 10. Glori(ication 3receiin% a resrrection bod)146
There is no dobt that the order o( salation in the ?A? doctrine is sa!e as !ost other ean%elical %rops. 't was taken al!ost erbati! (ro! the Apostolic ?hrch whose chrch doctrine in(lenced the theoretical (or!lation o( the tenets o( the ?A? bt di((er onl) in practices. Ths it is e8pected in the ?A? that a person is reired to be born a%ain in order to beco!e a conerted ?hristian and e8pect to %o to heaen in a conscientia salutis o( a de(inite assrance o( salation. This is e8pected to occr be(ore aptis! o( the /ol) #pirit (or which the chrch is er) well known. The ?A? een acknowled%es the e8istence o( a need (or sancti(ication theoreticall) bt hardl) preaches it as a de(inite post-conersion e8perience as so!e *entecostal %rops do, sch as the Apostolic (aith, bt does not e8pect it to be a de(inite spirital e8perience b) the (aith(l. #ancti(ication is e8pected to occr be(ore aptis! o( the /ol) #pirit and conersion and repentance are s)no!)!os with bein% born a%ain. t in practice, =st as was !entioned (or oanah, the sal !ethod o( preachin% is to reest indiidals to receie the /ol) #pirit in tarr) !eetin%s. The i!port o( the initial conersion see!s to be lost in !odern ?A?is!. :hat went wron%< $othin% went wron% e8cept that the s)ste! has beco!e hardened as a reslt o( secondar) in(lences which was the sa!e sitation in the late 1st centr) ?hristianit) that pro!pted onl) ohn the Apostle to re!e!ber that ess had !entioned to the established reli%ios %rops o( his a%e that the) !st be born a%ain in order to enter the kin%do! o( God 3on @H1-4.156 +espite the i!portance attached to bein% born a%ain in !odern ean%elical ?hristianit), its i!port see!s to be lost in established chrch s)ste!s. An) discssion on n @H@ Q' tell )o the trth, no one can see the kin%do! o( God nless he is born a%ain> is si!pl) lost in the rotine o( chrch litr%) and ho!ilies. 'ts oka) when the s)ste! starts bt when conerts %ie birth to their children, at what point do these children beco!e consciosl) born a%ain< Once an established chrch %ies birth to second %eneration !e!bers, the i!port o( born a%ain beco!es !((led or in !ost cases non e8istent. /ence the lack o( e!phasis on it toda) in the ?A? cannot be de to doctrinal poert) bt to lack o( consciosness on the cler%) who shold be seen to e!phasi7e it er) co!!onl) drin% serices, ho!ilies, pra)er !eetin%s and een tarr) !eetin% to receie the baptis! o( the /ol) #pirit, bt this is not pecliar to the ?A?. 't is co!!on in !ost other chrches. 't is %ood to !ention tho%h that this is not a serios proble! in !ost other established pentecostal chrches sch as The Apostolic Faith, For #are etc. For as we !entioned earlier in the last chapter, it is er) !ch possible (or an nrepentant sinner to receie the aptis! o( /ol) #pirit despite ordo salutis, bt then the ons is on the person to %et hi!sel( properl) born a%ain b) repentin% o( his sins. :e shall discss this in (or !ain diisions- born a%ain theolo%), histor) o( born a%ain doctrine in the chrch, the position o( born a%ain in ordo salutis. 'n chapter we shall talk abot its proidence and predestination.
Born again theology :hat does it !ean to be born a%ain< ess said
' tell )o the trth, no one can enter the kin%do! o( God nless he is born o( water and the #pirit. Flesh %ies birth to (lesh, bt the #pirit %ies birth to spirit. o shold not be srprised at !) sa)in%, Qo !st be born a%ain.> The wind blows whereer it pleases. o hear its sond, bt )o cannot tell where it co!es (ro! or where it is %oin%. #o it is with eer)one born o( the #pirit.> n @H5B
These words are pro(ond and deep. :hat does it !ean to be born o( water< #o!e hae %ien this arios interpretations. This (irst theor) is o( corse baptis!& to be born o( water is to be bapti7ed. t does baptis! alone %ie )o the abilit) to !ake heaen. aptis! on it>s on withot its raison d’être is !eanin%less. 't cold be the word etc. :hat does baptis! si%ni() in ordo salutis& that is to sa) what is the soteriolo%) o( baptis!< aptis! re(ers to and si%ni(ies E*E$TA$?E. The aptis! o( ohn was the baptis! o( repentance
And so ohn ca!e, bapti7in% in the desert re%ion and preachin% a baptis! o( repentance (or the (or%ieness o( sinsS/e 3ohn went into all the contr) preachin% a baptis! o( repentance (or the (or%ieness o( sins. e(ore the co!in% o( ess ?hrist, ohn preached repentance and baptis! to all the people o( 'sraelS*al said, Qohn>s baptis! was a baptis! o( repentance. /e told the people to beliee in the one co!in% a(ter hi!, that is, in ess.>K k 1H4, Lk @H@, Ac 1@H24, 19H4
aptis! is an act which s%%ests and (ollows repentance. :ater is sed as a s)!bol to re(er to baptis!, while both si%ni() repentance. t baptis! also has its rital si%ni(icance and so it is wron% doctrine that sa)s baptis! is irreleant or that baptis! is not si%ni(icant on its own. The ?A? doctrine attaches i!portance to adlt baptis! is--is repentance. 't is onl) a repentant person that can be bapti7ed and hence baptis! is best per(or!ed on an adlt, (or a child or bab) cannot repent. /ence when water is sed as a s)!bol o( repentance it is correct. t bein% born a%ain does not end with repentance. There is a need (or the second co!ponent o( born a%ain- that is bein% born o( the #pirit. This pne!atolo%ical addition is not withot its share o( controers). 's the birth with the #pirit whose s)!bol also incldes (ire 3t @H11, Lk @H1 the sa!e aswith baptis! the /ol) #pirit< There is be no part dobt those coined the ter!inolo%) Qbaptis! /ol)o(#pirit Qactall) !eant it to o(that bein% bornwho a%ain and to represent the #pirit rebirth co!ponent o( the %eneral born a%ain process or a sbstantial part o( ordo salutis. t is this tre (or it is tre, those who are not bapti7ed in the /ol) #pirit are not there(ore born a%ain and as ess !entioned, the) are headin% (or hell. ost people, een
a!on%st the pentecostalists who beliee in the aptis! o( the /ol) #pirit do not beliee )o !st hae the baptis! in order to %o to heaen. The) see! to stop at baptis! with water which si%ni(ies repentance alone withot the second #pirit co!ponent- or so it see!s. t then what is the trth<
Acts 19H1 And it ca!e to pass, that, while Apollos was at ?orinth, *al hain% passed thro%h the pper coasts ca!e to EphessH and (indin% certain disciples, 2 /ehae saidnot nto )e receied /ol) Ghost since )e belieed< And the) said nto hi!, :e sothe!, !ch/ae as heard whether the there be an) /ol) Ghost. @ And he said nto the!, Into what then were )e bapti7ed< And the) said, Into ohn;s baptis!. 4 Then said *al, ohn eril) bapti7ed with the baptis! o( repentance, sa)in% nto the people, that the) shold beliee on hi! which shold co!e a(ter hi!, that is, on ?hrist ess. 5 :hen the) heard this, the) were bapti7ed in the na!e o( the Lord ess. And when *al had laid his hands pon the!, the /ol) Ghost ca!e on the!& and the) spake with ton%es, and prophesied.
The aboe proo( te8t presents the biblical ordo salutis which we !st (ollow. Firstl), it is essential (or salation that )o beliee on(+* the "ord (esus Christ in order to %o to heaen (or the ible sa)s clearl) (irst )o !st be bapti7ed nto ?hrist. That is, it !st be with the na!e o( ess ?hrist, bt there is o( corse no har! in presentin% the Trinit).
Q:hoeer beliees and is bapti7ed will be saed, bt whoeer does not beliee will be conde!ned. And these si%ns will acco!pan) those who belieeH 'n !a) na!e the) will drie ot de!ons& the) will speak in new ton%es& the) will pick p snakes with their hands& and when the) drink deadl) poison, it will not hrt the! at all& the) will place their hands on sick people, and the) will %et well.> k 1H15-1B.
To be saed all )o need is to beliee and be bapti7ed. The rest is addition that spports )o in )or =orne) in li(e as a belieer. The te8t aboe sa)s the ali(ications o( those who will be saed. The) !st beliee and be bapti7ed and the si%ns !st (ollow the!. These si%ns do not hae to be in all indiidals, at least so!e o( the! will show eidence that )o beliee. :ithot these s)!pto!s )o cannot sa) )o hae belieed or )o are correctl) bapti7ed. 't was (or this sa!e reason that the adherents o( the ?A? a(ter the reials o( 19@0 and be)ond (elt prod that the) were tre belieers and hae their conscientia salutis. t the ne8t estion wold then be, do )o need to obtain the /ol) #pirit baptis! in order to receie the si%ns which s%%est )o
beliee. es, de(initel) )es. For it was onl) at the point o( /ol) #pirit baptis! that those who receied it showed the si%ns o( bein% saed which incldes speakin% in ton%es and prophes)in%. The ne8t estion wold then be how do )o receie the /ol) Ghost baptis!< First )o can obtain baptis! b) la)in% on o( hands =st as in the e8a!ple o( the Ephesians aboe. o can also receie it b) (aith and pra)er. t it so!eti!es essential that a person with apostolic %i(t pra)s alon% with, )o to receie it.
%istory of born again doctrine. The i!port o( n @H@ was lost on the chrch lon% a(ter ohn the Apostle had called attention to it a!on%st the second %eneration ?hristian o( the 1st centr) A+ (or the Gospel accordin% to ohn was the last o( all %ospels to be written, while ark was the er) (irst to be written. ohn :esle) 31M0@-91 preachin%, in 1Bth centr) En%land discoered the i!port o( the born a%ain actiit) when he traeled with oraian ?hristians to the new world. /e later had an e8perience o( conersion which he (elt was bein% born a%ain and be%an to preach born againis ntil his death. This ca!e a%ainst established nor!s which ta%ht that in(ant baptis! si%ni(ies rebirth bt the latter, as ess !entioned in n @H@, is =st not eno%h to earn salation. ohn :esle) ar%ed that )o needed to trn awa) (ro! sin consciosl) and ask (or (or%ieness with the salation b) (aith alone bein% the essence o( the whole act o( bein% born a%ain. For the rest o( the li(e o( ohn :esle) he ta%ht this stran%e new doctrine bt kept paedobaptis!. ?hristian theolo%) chan%ed a(ter :esle). 't was neer the sa!e a%ainN :esle) died a(ter establishin% Q!ethodis!> which is another ter! (or the process o( bein% born a%ain een a(ter paedobaptis!. Toda) the !ethodis! o( the ethodists see!s to be lost in the ethodist chrches (onded b) the apostle o( ethodis! hi!sel(, ohn :esle). /e was the (irst to preach that baptis! alone cannot lead )o to heaen and that )o needed =sti(ication thro%h (aith alone and spawned b) repentance and conscios trnin% awa) (ro! sin. This !ethodis! was to in(lence not onl) rral En%land - its contr) side, and chan%ed a whole nation o( badl) behaed people into a nation o( %entle!en who were born a%ain and there(ore well behaed. ral En%land was one o( the !ost riotos in Erope o( the ti!e. o had illains, drnks etc. The reials o( ethodis! chan%ed En%land co!pletel), bro%ht ot the best in En%land and !ade the contr) a contr) o( abolition o( slae trade, !issionaries to A(rica and the rest o( the world. All can be traced to those reials o( the 1Bth centr), bt it was to per!anentl) in(lence ?hristendo! and a((ect ean%elicalis! till toda). ost ean%elicals beliee toda) that there is a need (or a conscios trnin% awa) (ro! sin in the process well reco%ni7ed as bein% born a%ain- co!pletel) separate ph)sicall) (ro! baptis!, bt locked with in an eternal nion o( si%ni(icance, =st like :esle). e(ore :esle), theolo%ians who e!phasi7ed =sti(ication b) (aith alone sch as artin Lther 31M0@-1M91, ohn ?alin 31509-154 and the rest did !ention re%eneration which is another na!e (or bein% born a%ain bt the) all interpreted it to !ean re%eneration at baptis!, which inariabl) !eant paedobaptis! and there(ore cannot be inclsie o( repentance and conscios trnin% awa) (ro! sin. 'n (act the (nda!entalist de(inition o( ean%elicalis! was those who beliee )o !st be Qborn a%ain>. Toda) a broader approach has been (orced on this de(inition to inclde all the (nda!entalists who beliee that the ible is the in(allible word o( God - all o( it and not a part.
-he position of born again/ inordo sa%utisH At what point in the order o( salation does an indiidal beco!e born a%ain< +o )o receie the /ol) Ghost baptis! be(ore )o are born a%ain< There is no order. o receie the /ol) #pirit when God sa)s )o receie it. The proo( te8t had been oted earlier- when ?ornelis and his %rop receied the /ol) #pirit drin% a preachin% en%a%e!ent be(ore the) een had the ti!e to repent and con(ess their sins. $eertheless this is the e8ception rather than the rle. 't is best tho%h, to ask a potential conert to (irst repent o( his sins, accept ess ?hrist as /is personal #aior be(ore )o be%in to talk abot /ol) #pirit baptis! nless o( corse, as !a) o(ten happen, the /ol) #pirit oerrles )o and %ies the %i(t be(ore an) other order as was the case with ?ornelis and his hosehold. This practice o( pttin% the /ol) #pirit baptis! be(ore repentance is ite co!!on in the ?A? altho%h it is not aailable in the o((icial doc!ent on tenets o( the chrch. The chrch cler%) shold at all cost aoid this sitation (or it !akes it eas) to loose conerts and nrepentant conerts to chan%e into cltists, which o(ten happens, to the bane o( the chrch and to the destrction o( the indiidals. For the nrepentant person sees no (rther reason to con(ess his sins since the #pirit o( God is tellin% hi! clearl) that he can still be sed een with his sins een i( the) are ncon(essed. Then the ne8t estion the indiidal will ask hi!sel( wold be- wh) repent i( )o are se(l as a sinner< *art o( the proble! in the ?A? also incldes the nde e!phasis in so!e instances on si%ns and wonders and those who possess the! while ri%hteosness is pshed to the back%rond. Those who lead are those who hae receied spectaclar %i(ts, !ost especiall) the %i(ts o( prophes). An) prophet can start a chrch etc. Gi(ts o( prophes) is to edi() the chrch, the indiidal still needs to edi() hi!sel(. '( this sitation is reersed so that those who are sed to lead are the ri%hteos ones- either to preach, !inister or consel, this nhealth) e!phasis on %i(ts and those who possess the! will disappear. This is clearl) e8e!pli(ied in the (a!os *aline te8t
'1 ?orinthians 1@H1-B Tho%h ' speak with the ton%es o( !en and o( an%els, and hae not charit), ' a! beco!e as sondin% brass, or a tinklin% c)!bal. And tho%h ' hae the %i(t o( prophec), and nderstand all !)steries, and all knowled%e& and tho%h ' hae all (aith, so that ' cold re!oe !ontains, and hae not charit), ' a! nothin%. And tho%h ' bestow all !) %oods to (eed the poor, and tho%h ' %ie !) bod) to be brned, and hae not charit), it pro(iteth !e nothin%. ?harit) s((ereth lon%, and is kind& charit) enieth not& charit) anteth not itsel(, is not p((ed p, +oth not behae itsel( nsee!l), seeketh not her own, is not easil) prooked, thinketh no eil& e=oiceth not in iniit), bt re=oiceth in the trth& eareth all thin%s, belieeth all thin%s, hopeth all thin%s, endreth all thin%s. ?harit) neer (ailethH bt whether there be prophecies, the) shall (ail& whether there be ton%es, the) shall cease& whether there be knowled%e, it shall anish awa).
t e8a!ine this *aline te8t which see!s like contradiction
1 ?orinthians 14H1-5 Follow a(ter charit), and desire spirital %i(ts, bt rather that )e !a) prophes). For he that speaketh in an nknown ton%e speaketh not nto !en, bt nto GodH (or no !an nderstandeth hi!& howbeit in the spirit he speaketh !)steries. t he that prophesieth speaketh nto !en to edi(ication, and e8hortation, and co!(ort. /e that speaketh in an nknown ton%e edi(ieth hi!sel(& bt he that prophesieth edi(ieth the chrch. ' wold that )e all spake with ton%es, bt rather that )e prophesiedH (or %reater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with ton%es, e8cept he interpret, that the chrch !a) receie edi()in%.
*al see!s to be sa)in% here, i( )o wish to edi() )orsel( speak in ton%es at ho!e, i( )o wish to edi() the chrch, prophes) in the chrch. 't is there(ore not wron% to desire spirital %i(ts. An)one who clai!s spirital %i(ts are seless in this !odern a%e is !istaken. :ith the rise in #atanis!, occltis! and all other !a%ical satanic practices, there is no soltion e8cept in spirital %i(ts (or the ?hristian b) which he !eets (orce with (orce. o cannot be netral in this %a!e (or accordin% to on "enol) the sin%er, Qthere is no de!ilitari7ed 7one.> ?A? shold, in seekin% %i(ts eschew the position in which those who hae the desirable %i(ts beco!e the leader o( the chrch or workers. $o, those who shold be workers are those with loe and ri%hteosness so that the chrch !a) be edi(ied (rther.
&A& is a cult0 #o!e ean%elical scholars hae ar%ed that the ?A? is a clt becase it ses pra)er water. That is the t)pical nonsense weashear dail) (ro! scholars notthe done their ho!ework well eno%h. :ater was sed a !edi! o( contact o(who (aithhae =st as apostles sed handkerchie( and other !aterials in the past in the $T 3Ac 19H12. For water to ali() as clt actiit) it !st be absolte, which is, it !st be total part o( litr%) and an) conert !st take it in order to be a conert or to %o to heaen. $o, in the ?A? )o are (ree to take the water or not. 'n !ost cases water is sed as a (or! o( (aith !edi! in reials not in chrch serice. ?lose to the end o( the reial serice, the leadin% preacher or ean%elists then inites those who ha-e brought their water to the chrch to raise the! p (or pra)er. /e then pra)s on the water to the hearin% o( eer)one. Or the indiidal can brin% hisRher water (ro! ho!e to see the !an o( God personall) who then pra)s on the water in hisRher presence. This !ethod is a little di((erent (ro! that adopted b) abalola at the startin% reials o( Oke O)e in 'lesha. :hat abalola did was to pra) on a strea! o( water at Oke O)e and drin% the reials, adherents wold si!pl) %o to the strea! to collect water, si!ilar to what obtained at the pool o( ethesda 3n 5H@-15 (or the bene(it o( the ews be(ore the essiah ca!e. That is hardl) a clt practice.1M6 The ?A? does not se candles to pra) or an) other nbiblical ite!s.1B6 +espite the (act that the ?A? is decidedl) not cltic in doctrine or practice, it does not !ean that indiidal prophets or !e!bers cannot be deceied to set p clt %rops inadertentl) or deliberatel). t the s)nod %rop represented b) the #pre!e or E8ectie ?oncil alwa)s calls attention to these (alsehoods (ro! ti!e to ti!e.
&A& &hristology This is not di((erent (ro! the !ain line ?hristolo%) o( the diinit) and !anhood o( ?hrist. ess ?hrist is belieed to be the second person in the Trinit). /e is or #aior (or he died on the cross to carr) awa) or sins. 'n the end ti!es he will co!e to rle the world (or 1000 )ears a(ter the raptre o( the saints. /e will rle (ro! ersale! a(ter which there wold be second resrrection and =d%!ent.
&A& 'neumatology ?A? beliees in the baptis! o( the /ol) #pirit which !a) be per(or!ed at an) ti!e bt with e!phasis on repentance. Accordin% to *eel
The /ol) #pirit is preached !ost earnestl) and the %reat !a=orit) o( pastors and prophet hae receied it& the) sa) it was the !ost !e!orable thin% in their lies. Ths the )on% pastor o( Odo Ona, near 'badan a cosin o( abalola>sH he was (i(teen )ears old and sta)in% with a catechist relatie in Ekiti& the) san% h)!ns, pra)ed, and asked (or the /ol) #pirit, then Qthere was so!ethin% like a stor! and ' see that !) ton%e is chan%ed& since then, ahN 3he la%hed Cthere is a happiness in !) li(eN> ost ?hrist Apostolic chrches hae Qtarr)in% !eetin%> (or the /ol) #pirit& onl) a !inorit) o( !e!bers hae receied it, at least as a distinct e8perience.>196
Also
Jan) o( aba=ide>s n!eros pa!phlets on the /ol) #pirit e!phasi7es its Frits 3Gal 5H2@, all !oral alities, and sch as e8isted be(ore aptis! o( the /ol) #pirit was practiced& and he so!eti!es e!phasi7es that the %i(ts !a) be !issed b) (alse prophets. There is ths a distinction between the clearl) reco%ni7ed pheno!enon o( pentecostal baptis!, and the !oral chan%es not alwa)s and not necessaril) associated with it, which are the work o( a !ore di((se indwellin% o( the /ol) #pirit. t Qthe a8is rond which all other instr!ents o( salation reole>, as aba=ide calls *entecostal baptis!, is the (ocs o( ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch teachin%.>206
*ne!atolo%) in the ?A? is er) pro(ond and thoro%h bt er) biblical. 't does not !ean )o do not hae !istakes or clt %rops who hae been !isled. This is the bane o( *entecostalis! %enerall) (or it is er) eas) to chan%e a prel) ?hristian diine healin% practice into a de!onic one een so!eti!es oerni%ht. 'n so!e cases it !a) occr as a reslt o( the person with the
spirital %i(t (allen into sin, bt so!eti!es it cold be deliberate (or want o( !ore spirital power, and adherent !a) then conslt de!ons or indeed !edicine 3== !en (or !ore power. This is wh) it is not held in the ?A? that a ?hristian cannot be possessed b) de!ons. O( corse a ?hristian who deliberatel) deiates (ro! the nor!al ?hristian practice in a est to %ain spirital power will i!!ediatel) be de!on possessed. Also an) one toches in the corse o( his actiities nclean thin%s deliberatel) !a) be possessed.216. Once ' was asked to %o to a shrine o( one pro!inent A(rican %od which was kept as a torist attraction. ' asked whether the shrine was still actiel) sed (or worship o( the particlar %odR%oddess and the answer was a((ir!atie. ' i!!ediatel) declined (or ' can be possessed b) si!pl) %oin% (or this torist attraction and ' wold then hae no one to bla!e e8cept !)sel(. ebecca rown !akes it er) clear
This brin%s s to the hotl) debated estion, J?an a ?hristian hae a de!on dwellin% inside o( hi!HK ' beliee scriptre clearl) shows s that he can. +e!ons cannot =st hop into people wheneer the) want. :e are hed%ed abot so that the) cannot %et in nless we break a hole in the hed%e o( protection. /ow do we break a hole in this protectie hed%e< #'$. ' call sch sins that per!it the entrance o( de!ons te!ple de(ilin% sins. :h)< ecase the botto! line in this isse o( de!ons in ?hristians is thisHK ?an the te!ple o( God, s, be de(iled, and i( so, how does #criptre de(ine the ter! de(ile!ent<226
And
o)ce said J' a! horri(ied now as ' look back at the n!ber o( ?hristians ' pt de!ons into thro%h that practiceN The) were so ea%er and willin% to %o nconscios that the) accepted an)thin% ' chose to pt into the!. ' (reentl) pt de!ons o( (alse ton%es into the!. Then the) wold wake p speakin% in ton%es and think the) had been bapti7ed b) the /ol) #pirit.K2@6
&A& Angelology This is not di((erent (ro! the nor!al an%elolo%) ta%ht in !ost ean%elical chrches. $o one pra)s to an%els or stran%e na!es or een known na!es or persons e8cept to ess and the Trinit). An%els are known to be a%ents o( God and when the) are seen in ision, are not worshiped bt si!pl) reered.
One prophet, whose chrch and diine healin% ho!e is loosel) a((iliated to the ?hrist apostolic ?hrch does re(er to the help %ien b) Qpower(l an%els>& bt so!e o( his !ethods are considered rather dbios b) the central athorities>246 p 14B.
&A& %ealing doctrines ?A? beliees in diine healin% aided b) (aith bt not (aith healin%.
'$+EE+ T/E ?hrist Apostolic ?hrch, (ollowin% the En%lish apostolics, draws a distinction between Qdiine healin%> and Q(aith healin%, intended to separate Apostolic !ethods (ro! those o( !iscellaneos (aith-healers whose work is prel) ps)cholo%ical.256
On healin% Odban=o26 said Q:hat heals when one ses point o( contact< 's it the he! o( the %ar!ent< La)in% on o( hands< Anointin% o( oil< ?la) sed to rb e)es o( blind< 's it water pra)ed on in bottle< 't is onl) the (aith released that brin% healin%S+rinkin% water (or healin% is not the best theolo%)Si( people are healed in this wa) it is nothin% bt an e8hibition o( /is tender !erc). > 2M6
abalola saw a ision in 192B be(ore the %reat reials o( 19@0. This !st hae prepared his !ind (or the doctrine o( diine healin% withot !edicine which was to (ollow (or !an) )ears and which was coined in orba as iwosan lai l’ogun.
'n his 3abalola ision an an%el bro%ht hi! a piece o( dr) (ish in a calabash which %ae hi! an electric shock when he toched it. The an%el e8plained that it represented the leaes and herbs sed or !edicine bt Qthere was no power in it at all, bt God was %oin% to render the! seless and powerless>. edicine was to be %ien p and God alone trsted (or healin%.2B6
The doctrine o( healin% is ite pro(ond in the ?A?. 'n the earl) da)s it led to the schis! between the ?A? and TA? in 19@9. 't theoreticall) (orbids all !anner o( !edicine, whether western or /u/u. 'n this particlar instance, it was not appeal to ible or an) proo( te8t in the ible that led to this practice. 't was (eled b) the 'lesha reials as !entioned in the earl) parts o( this chapter.
&A& Demonology
The theolo%) o( de!ons in the ?A? is ite pro(ond. 't reco%ni7es, =st like !ost *entecostal %rops and ean%elical s)ste!s, the (allen an%els who (ell with #atan in the (irst disobedience 3's 14H12 and the %rop that (raterni7ed with !en in the latter disobedience 32 *e 2H4& de 10 as !entioned in Genesis H1-@ with the (or!ation o( the Ne&hili.
:hen !en be%an to increase in n!ber on the earth and da%hters were born to the!, the sons o( God saw that the da%hters o( !en were beati(l, and the) !arried an) o( the! the) chose. Then the Lord said Q) #pirit will not contend with !an (oreer, (or he is !ortal, his da)s will be hndred and twent) )ears. The Ne&hili were on the earth in those da)s-and also a(terward-when the sons o( God went to the da%hters o( !en and had children b) the!. The) are heroes o( old, !en o( renown. The Lord saw how %reat !an>s wickedness on the earth had beco!e and that eer) conciliation o( the tho%hts o( his heart was onl) eil all the ti!e.>
Ne&hili296 !a) in actal (act be the $eanderthal !an which scientists hae reco%ni7ed as %iants that lied on earth as !an be(ore !odern !an.
#cientific e-aluation. 's it reall) possible (or !en to hae intercorse with spirit bein%s< #cienti(icall), we cannot een proe the e8istence o( spirit bein%s. #eeral e8e%etes hae said it is i!possible 3appealin% to the passa%e which talked that an%els in heaen neer !arr)@06 bt these e8e%etes are doin% %reat disserice to the te8t, (or that is clearl) what the te8t was !eant to cone)& an%els slept with (e!ales. Earl) chrch (athers had sed 2 *eter@16 as interpretatie (ra!ework. The interpretation o( an%els hain% intercorse with !en was the nor! ntil it was chan%ed b) ?alin in the 1 th centr). ?alin !aintains that the sons o( God where descendants o( #eth while the da%hters o( !en were (ro! the line o( ?ain. /ow can the sa!e species lead to deelop!ent o( sin(l %iants< /ence (ro! canonical and e8tracanonical considerations, it is i!possible to sa) this was not what the te8t !eant. 'ndeed !odern writer and well known anti#atanist ebecca rown said
#e8 with de!ons-This is an area that er) (ew people are willin% to write abot becase the) are a(raid o( the ridicle it will brin%. ost ?hristians la%h at the er) tho%ht and sa) it is i!possible. t the occltist know the realit) o( it, and so does the world.@26
t what concerns s here wold be the prodction o( the !en o( renown, the Ne&hili 3interpreted as %iants@@6 (or the (ossils records o( the oldest %iants were the 0oo sa&iens neanderthalis.@46 This species is dated 100, 000 )ears a%o and e8isted (or so!e ti!e conte!poraneosl) with ?ro !a%non !an whose (ossils appear in strata abot @5, 000 )ears
a%o. '( these Ne&hili were %iants, and e8isted at the ti!e o( $oah>s Flood, one wold ass!e that a n!ber o( the! wold atte!pt to escape the (lood b) enterin% into caes and blockin% its entrance onl) to perish in the caes de to the len%th o( period o( the said Flood. The) will be then toda) identi(ied as cae-dwellers. #ince $eanderthal had hea) bon) (eatres, it is eas) to see his correspondence with the Ne&hili. /ence it is possible, while in the caes, the) cold onl) se stone tools and this !a) hae been erroneosl) interpreted stone cltre.@56 'ndeed !ost (ossils o( $eanderthal !an is (ond in caes with hea) bones and hea) and thick sklls. t this is not what concerns s now in de!onolo%) bt what happened to the $ephili! who were spposed to hae been wiped ot b) $oah>s (lood (or it was !ainl) becase o( the! that God decided to wipe ot the earth. The ewish literatre contines that it was this $ephili! whose species inhabited the !ontains, riers and other corners o( the nierse, to pla%e !an as another (or! o( species (or eer. #o!e hae een s%%ested the) !a) be responsible (or IFO etc. :hat eer be the case, the ?A? de!onolo%) takes care o( these poplatin% spirits o( the earth, so!e who! hae been called *gban/e 3'bo, a!!) water spirit, Eere, Abiku 3orba etc. an) hae !et sch in delierance !inistries and hae atte!pted to cast ot the spirits in the!. Lois Fller, the (irst ?acasian !issionar) workin% in A(rica to beliee this Q!)th> o( spirit bein%s enterin% and cohabitin% with h!an li(e, e8plains this clearl) that the spirit bein%s hae the ncann) abilit) to enter into a pre%nant wo!an, drie awa) the spirit o( the e!br)o 3or i!prison it in its own bod) and occp) the bod) o( the indiidal till death, which is sall) ite earl), a(ter which the spirit %oes back to its abode, which !a) be the sea 3!arinites, land 3eere, ogban/e, land waters, !ontains etc. This de!onolo%) has beco!e easil) accepted in !odern *entecostalis! and indeed ecclesiolo%) at least in A(rica& the proble! has alwa)s been how to appl) the ible to its nderstandin%, (or the ible clearl) states it is appointed nto !an once to die and a(ter this =d%!ent. /eb 9H2M.Altho%h een ewish literatre is (ll o( this the!e in de!onolo%), a proo( te8t i( an), wold be *s 5B.
*sal!s 5BH1-11 +o )e indeed speak ri%hteosness, O con%re%ation< do )e =d%e pri%htl), O )e sons o( !en< ea, in heart )e work wickedness& )e wei%h the iolence o( )or hands in the earth. The wicked are estranged fro the wob1 the$ go astra$ as soon as the$ be born, s&eaking lies. Their &oison is like the &oison of a ser&ent1 the$ are like the deaf adder that sto&ð her ear2 Which will not hearken to the -oice of charers, charing ne-er so wisel$. 'reak their teeth, * 3od, in their outh1 break out the great teeth of the $oung lions, * "*%! . Let the! !elt awa) as waters which rn continall)H when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let the! be as ct in pieces. As a snail which !elteth, let eer) one o( the! pass awa)H like the nti!el) birth o( a wo!an, that the) !a) not see the sn. e(ore )or pots can (eel the thorns, he shall take the! awa) as with a whirlwind, both liin%, and in his wrath. The ri%hteos shall re=oice when he seeth the en%eanceH he shall wash his (eet in the blood o( the wicked. #o that a !an shall sa), Deril) there is a reward (or the ri%hteosH eril) he is a God that =d%eth in the earth .
The ean%elical E!!anel Eni o( the #criptre Inion 3$i%eria e8plains this in his discorse. @6 't is a!a7in% that ?A? had had this as part o( its theolo%) lon% be(ore other pentecostal %rops practicin% in A(rica appealin% to the ne&hili theolo%) o( Gen H1-@. 't is dobt(l
whether this wold eer be a proble! (or biblical her!eneticians in the western world, bt it is a pro(ond proble! in A(rica& a proble! which had been hitherto atte!pted to be soled onl) b) the !edicine !en.
&ase reportH The stor) is told o( how oanah O%nranti per(or!ed delierance o( a (e!ale who clai!ed she was a een o( one sort o( a cohort in the sea. The) !et in their !eetin%s in the sea in their spirit rather than ph)sical bod). This lad) hails (ro! ?alabar bt lies in *ort /arcort& e8tre!el) prett) )on% lad). #he had had this, accordin% to her since she was born and she rose to be the een o( the sea %rop o( the said cohort thro%h the ranks. #he narrated the stor) o( how one da) she was in the chrch and cold (eel the power o( the /ol) Ghost co!in% (ro! oanah towards her. The heat was nbearable. This was the ti!e oanah was preachin% and as sal was %oin% thro%h her nor!al !arathon ho!il). A(ter the serice, she went to oanah to tell her abot her proble!. 'n her characteristic wa) oanah ran% the pra)er bell three ti!es and co!!anded the !arine spirit in her to %et ot. 't did, accordin% to her, and she was deliered since then withot !ch proble!s. #he later clai!ed that the !e!bers o( her %rop cold not accept her e8it. #o the) beat her with sticks spiritall) and the !arks appeared ph)sicall) on her bod). t the lad) said she was stbborn and resolte that she wold neer %o back to the de!onic %rop a%ain. A(ter a period o( ti!e, which cold hae been p to a )ear, the !e!bers o( this de!onic %rop ceased (or eer to (lo% her or persecte or distrb her in an) wa). #he had a lastin% (reedo! which she en=o)s till toda). #eeral o( sch stories abond in the da)s o( abalola, especiall) the da)s o( the reials. The stor) was een told that his own wi(e 3abalola was pla%ed with this proble!. Like it is bein% s%%ested, this is an A(rican proble!. Forei%n !issions cold neer nderstand it and the) did not pretend to do so. The) si!pl) waied it awa) as non e8istent. That is certainl) not the wa) to sole a proble! o( sane people. The (act that )o do not see so!ethin% does not !ean it does not e8it, as Lois *aster in the 1Bth centr) proed conclsiel) sin% the !icroscope on !icroor%anis!s, which case disease in !an. Other areas o( de!on attacks are ite co!!on in A(rican theolo%ical practice, e8cept that the aboe is !ost co!!on. /ence castin% ot o( de!ons as was practiced in $ew Testa!ent ti!es is ite co!!on in the ?A?.
1itchcraft(#)*H This proble!, which is ite co!!on in A(rica, is part o( the ?A? de!onolo%). abalola had to deal with it sin% oi i$e in the earl) da)s. 't is not ite clear a(ter abalola whether an) witch actall) was deliered in the ?A?. The (ier) preacher interested in witches !inistr) in the ?A? is the blind preacher called Obadare. /e also has er) little testi!on) o( conerted witches, bt these witches are said to do a lot o( eil a%ainst !e!bers o( the chrch (or which !ost o( the! 3he !e!bers seek re(%e. The stran%e part o( the witchcra(t de!onolo%) is that irtall) eer)thin% clai!ed to be done b) witches is said to be per(or!ed non-e!piricall) and hence cannot be deter!ined ph)sicall). t there is another ariet) o( witchcra(t which is not present in A(rica bt is co!!on in Erope and A!erica. ebecca rown
calls attention to this t)pe which pla%es the white !an and is ph)sical rather than spirital, in contradistinction to the A(rican t)pe, !akin% the white appear !ore pri!itie than blacks. 'n $orth A!erica, these witchesRwi7ards are called #atanists becase the) worship #atan directl). The) are also in inoled in h!an sacri(ice, child se8al abse 3paedophilia and !olestation to inclde child slaer), all ph)sicall). Al!ost all cases o( child abse co!es (ro! #atanist who set p chrches which the) call Q?hrch o( #atan> to worship #atan. #atanists are essentiall) witches and wi7ards 3warlocks bt the) hae no patience to per(or! their acts spiritall) and so the) do the! ph)sicall), !ost co!!onl) at the new !oon and other de!onic (estiities.
asicall), #atanist don>t hae the patience and discipline to spend so !ch ti!e and e((ort per(or!in% !eticlos ritals. 't is !ch icker and easier (or the! to do sacri(ice 3h!an. The) %ain the cooperation o( !ore power(l de!ons that wa). The others deal with the less power(l de!ons, bt the) are de!ons =st the sa!e no !atter what )o choose to call the!. o learn er) ickl) in witchcra(t that there are $O sch thin%s as i!personal ener%ies. The) are all DE personal. o are either dealin% with de!ons or the power o( God. #o an)one that is controllin% an Jener%)K or JpowerK o( an) kind is dealin% with de!ons. 't is =st that si!ple. 't is so er) di((erent to sere a !aster who will (or%ie )o instead o( takin% %reat deli%ht in pnishin% )o (or an) little thin%. ess %ies li(e. The de!ons alwa)s brin% death.@B6
&A& 2iturgy of worship General The chrch serice in ?A? is not too di((erent (ro! what )o hae in !ost *entecostal chrches. The) be%in their da) with praise worship o( son%s and h)!ns. This is then (ollowed b) the actal be%innin% o( serice a(ter which there are no !ore chorses e8cept h)!ns in books o( h)!ns, pra)er, and ho!il). #hot o( hallelu$ah is co!!on an)ti!e drin% the serice. The ?A? h)!n book is one o( the lar%est in ean%elicalis!& it is (loweril) ean%elical and litr%icall) pentecostal hain% oer B00 h)!ns co!piled (ro! arios sorces, be%innin% (ro! ?harles :esle) to #anke) etc and incldin% the h)!ns o( reials in the 19 th and 20 th centries and also indi%enos ones. 't is so rich it has irtall) all known reial h)!ns. +o not (or%et the ?A? had shared si!ilar tradition with The Apostolic ?hrch o( :ales be(ore the schis!. t what is !ost re!arkable is the ?A? choir itsel(, proided its own translation o( these %reat son%s.
Dancing and clapping of hands The ?A? clap hands and it was the distin%ishin% !arks o( the Aladrais! !an) )ears a%o. $ow all pentecostals clap hands, dance, per(or! praise worship in a liberated !anner. There are o( corse proo( te8ts in the ible, !ostl) (ro! *sal!s adisin% this kind o( practice bt ' beliee what eer is cltrall) acceptable shold be sed to worship and praise God. That is the essence o( praise-worship. +aid danced !an) ti!e be(ore God. an) )ears a%o tho%h, the ?A? onl) allowed dancin% and clappin% o( hands or een shotin% hallelu$ah drin% reials. All thro%h nor!al #nda) serice these actiities were banned. t it is not so toda)N
2aying of hands This litr%ical actiit) is co!!on in al!ost all *entecostal Rean%elical chrches. 'ts proble! is that it can easil) be sed as a !edi! (or trans(errin% de!ons into %enine ?hristians. La)in% o( hands is per(or!ed in the ?A? bt not as co!!on as !an) other *entecostal chrches. Also
onl) certi(ied prophets and preachersRpastors do so, not lait), which his hi%hl) co!!endable. At least abse is !ini!al in the ?A?, while it is ite hi%h in !ost other aladura nits. The trth is that we are co!!anded not to la) hands hastil). Q+o not be hast) in la)in% on o( hands, and do not share in the sins o( others. "eep )orsel( pre> 31 Ti! 5H22. Also onl) elders are allowed to la) hands on an)one as in a!es 5. +o not let =st an)one la) hands on an) bod).
es, ' will neer nderstand wh) so !an) ?hristians think the) are ato!aticall) protected (ro! #atan and his de!ons EDE$ i( the) actiel) sin a%ainst GodN The) co!pletel) oerlook the scriptre Galatians HM-B which sa)s wescriptre. :'LL reap what weitsow. is another practice chrches in that is so co!!on )et is a%ainst ' consider to beThere er) dan%eros. 't is thein the practice whereb) an)one (ro! the con%re%ation can co!e p and la) hands on, and pra) with, those at the altar. 't doesn>t !atter i( )o are a (irst ti!e isitor in so!e chrches, the) will still let )o do whateer )o want. 't proides a (ree-(or-all (or the in(iltratin% #atanists.
"hout %alleluyah@96 #hotin% 0allelu$ah is new in histor) chrch litr%), especiall) drin% serice bt certainl) it did not start with the ?A?. ?heck *s 10H1& 111H1& 112H1& 11@H1& 11MH1& 1@5H1& 14H1, 10-14MH1& 14BH1& e 19H1. 't is a /ebrew word and its !eanin% is si!pl) praise the LordN At a point in $i%eria, it was the wa) o( reco%ni7in% the aladura bt now eer) one ses it (or praise worship it has now beco!e a s)!bol o( the ?hristian so !ch so that in 2001 it was sed as identi()in% !ark. +rin% one o( the crisis between !sli!s and ?hristians in os, it was sed to distin%ish ?hristians (ro! !sli!s who when asked to respond to Q*raise the Lord>, wold not know Q0allelu$ah> was the answerN
3se of hand bells for prayer The se o( bell be(ore or drin% pra)er was instrction %ien to abalola, accordin% to hi!, b) God and this procedre has also beco!e ra!pant in the ?A?. :hile it is har!less (or the bell is =st a call to pra)er, it can be clearl) !isnderstood as cltic and shold there(ore be sed with cation in !odern ?A?.
&A& -heology of 'rayer As we !entioned nder the section o( Aladrais!, what is the !ost pro(ond (eatre o( the aladura was and is still pra)er- lon% sessions, at bar beach, hills, !ontains etc. ost o( the ori%inal %rop o( the aladura still now per(or! these altho%h those who pra) alon% the beach
hae been disbanded b) %oern!ental lon% ti!e a%o, while the) hae hae re%roped and are (ond in arios hi%h and low !ontains all oer the landscape o( the contr) $i%eria. #o!e o( these, bt not !ost are (ro! ?A?. :hile so!e !e!bers o( the ?A? %o to !ontains 3not beach or other places, it is not part o( the litr%) neither is it co!plsor) or part o( the written tenets. #o!e !e!bers =st si!pl) (ollow an old practice o( abalola who pre(erred to pra) in the !ontains in his !inistr) da)s. #o!e will sa) !ontains are hi%h places which can be closer to God or heaen than ordinar) land as a reason (or selectin% !ontains (or pra)er bt that is =st i%norance (ro! the lait). The proo( te8t (or litr%) o( !ontain pra)er is (ond in ess pra)in% at the desert, bt not !ontain.
And a(ter si8 da)s ess taketh with hi! *eter, and a!es, and ohn, and leadeth the! p into an hi%h !ontain apart b) the!selesH and he was trans(i%red be(ore the!. ark 9H2
This te8t does not sa) the ess pra)ed in this !ontain. There is no eidence that God e8pects s to pra) in the !ontains in the ible. oanah neer entered or pra)ed in an) !ontain bt she knows and is aware that !an) pra) in the !ontains in the ?A?. 's it alid (or pra)er e((icac) or is it a (i%!ent o( i!a%ination< ' think it is the latter. There is no where in the ible that sa)s that pra)er on the !ontains is !ore e((icacios than pra)er an)where else. The principle is solitar) pra)er where )o can concentrate and listen to )or God in /is still s!all oice.
And when )o pra), do not be like the h)pocrites, (or the) loe to pra) stand in the s)na%o%es and on the street corners to be seen b) !en. ' tell )o the trth, the) hae receied their reward in (ll. t when )o pra), %o into )or roo!, close the door and pra) to )or Father, who is nseen. Then )or Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward )o. t H5-.
This is the !ain procedre (or pra)er en!erated in a (ew sentences b) ess hi!sel( o need a solitar) place. *robabl) )or own inner closet, not necessaril) a !ontain. t i( )o cannot %et priac) in )or ho!e-e.%. becase o( wi(e or children, then select a solitar) place. 'n a place like $i%eria, the best wold be the !ontains i( not poplated. In(ortnatel) the !odern !ontains where !ost pra) especiall) in :estern $i%eria, is now so poplated it cannot eer be said to be solitar). The solitar) the!e is e8e!pli(ied b) ess hi!sel( who spent so !ch ti!e pra)in% in the desert 3wilderness, the onl) solitar) place he cold (ind in his !ission in dea. +o not (or%et that he shares his place o( abode with all his twele disciples and hence a closet that is solitar) is nlikel) to be (ond easil).
atthew 4H1 Then was ess led p o( the #pirit into the wilderness to be te!pted o( the deil. Lke 4H1 And ess bein% (ll o( the /ol) Ghost retrned (ro! ordan, and was led b) the #pirit into the wilderness,
*ra)er is nsall) lod in the ?A? since eer)one opens his !oth to sa) e8actl) what heRshe wishes God to hear adibl). This is in contradistinction to what obtains in !ost non-pentecostal chrches where een the lips do not !oe drin% pra)in% 3as it did with /annah C 1 #a! 1H1@ and is te8t er)Qe serene. (act in sch pra)ers4H10. are said in at!osphere o( ietness, appealin% to the still,'n and know that places, ' a! God.>*s The erse has nothin% to do with ietness drin% !ltiple pra)er. The ?A? also appeals to their own proo( te8t CQ?lap )or hand, all )o nations& shot to God with cries o( =o).> *s 4MH1 said at the er) ne8t psal!.
4ain babbling and period of prayerH The len%th o( pra)er can be nsall) lon% with the Aladura. 'n the earl) da)s o( the !oe!ent, the ?herbi! and #eraphi! aladura, be(ore the death o( Ori!olade, were known to pra) (or oer 12 hors (or a sick person. 's this biblical< '( so, where are the proo( te8ts.
And when )o pra), do not keep on babblin% like pa%an, (or the) think the) will be heard becase o( their !an) word. +o not be like the!, (or )or (ather knows what )o need be(ore )o ask hi!. t HM-B.
't is clear in this te8t that ess does not want his disciples or (ollowers to spend too !ch ti!e on ain repetitions Qlike pa%ans>, while pra)in%. This is !akin% re(erence to satanic ritalistic words and incantations which need to be repeated so!eti!es !ore than thosands o( ti!es, to inoke de!ons. 't is still a practice ra!pant in the se o( !a%ical books etc and is sed as coer so!eti!es to si!late pra)er.406 't has nothin% to do with the len%th o( ti!e to pra). As we all know ess hi!sel( pra)ed (or lon% each ti!e he went into solitar) con(ine!ent to seek the (ace o( /is God.
Der) earl) in the !ornin% while it was still dark, ess %ot p, le(t the hose and went o(( to a solitar) place, where he pra)ed. k 1H@5
ess had this habit o( wakin% p earl) to pra) in a solitar) place so that when his disciples wake p the) wold hae to %o and look (or hi! in the !ontains. /e spent seeral hors at Gethse!ane pra)in% 3k 14H@2-42. /e een spent 40 da)s and ni%hts alone in the wilderness pra)in% abot his !ission 3at once the #pirit sent hi! ot into the desert, and he was in the desert (ort) da)s, bein% te!pted b) #atan. /e was with the wild ani!als, and an%els attended hi!.> k 1H12. 't is there(ore nlikel) that he wold not hae been repeatin% what he wanted to sa). As a !atter o( (act, he repeated hi!sel( in Gethse!ane
Once !ore he went awa) and pra)ed the sa!e thin%. k 14H@9.
ess was there(ore not talkin% abot repeatin% )orsel( in pra)er in the te8t t HM-B the wa) we nderstand it. /e was talkin% abot ain babblin% o( incantations (or the deil (or he !entioned Qpa%an> which s%%ests idol or deil worship. o can repeat )orsel( a !illion ti!es =st like the persistent widow who repeated hersel( de!andin% =stice sa)in% the sa!e thin% bt not ain de!onic babblin%. 'n the words o( ess hi!sel(
'n a certain town there was a =d%e who neither (eared God nor cared abot !en. And there was a widow in that town who kept co!in% to hi! with the plea, QGrant !e =stice a%ainst !) adersar).> For so!e ti!e he re(sed. t (inall) he said to hi!sel(, QEen tho%h ' don>t (ear God or care abot !en, )et becase this widow keeps botherin% !e, ' will see that she %ets =stice, so that she won>t eentall) wear !e ot with her co!in%.> Lk 1BH4-5.
The points we can %arner (ro! this parable o( the persistent widow is as (ollows
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#he persistentl) de!anded (or =stice (ro! the n=st kin% #he kept on co!in% back to talk to the kin%
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#he did not %ie p
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#he was al!ost wearin% ot the kin%
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ess then added
And will not God brin% abot =stice (or his chosen ones, who cr) ot to hi! da) and ni%ht< :ill he keep pttin% the! o((< ' tell )o, he will see hat the) %et =stice, and ickl).> Lk 1BHM-B.
This answers it all. First ess talks o( his chosen ones who cr) to hi! da) and ni%ht. o hae to be a ri%hteos !an and there(ore chosen b) God be(ore )o can be heard b) hi!. o !st also cr) da) and ni%ht& which !eans repeatin% )orsel(. 't is also said the
The pra)er o( a ri%hteos !an is power(l and e((ectie. as 5H1. *ra) withot ceasin%. 1 Thess 5H1M
/ow do we do e8e%esis to the s)ste! aboe< :e can conclde with the data aailable to s as (ollows
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*ra) alwa)s 31 Thess 5H1M- *ra) withot ceasin%& en shold alwa)s pra) and not %ie p 3Lk 1BH1 *ra) !ore (or )or Qwants> than )or Qneeds>. Q) God will !eet all )or needs accordin% to his %lorios riches in ?hrist ess- *hil 4H19- sees also other te8ts416 Ask (or what )or Qwant> 3Ask and )o shall receie that )or =o) !a) be (ll-
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eiterate )or reest as !an) ti!es as )o wish bt do not repeat as i( )o are !akin% !a%ic (or!la and incantation b) repeatin% sin%le word or phrase !an) ti!es oer. 'n !) opinion the !an) ti!es oer shold be wa) otside the ran%e o( 100 to ali() as pa%an practice or rital. #ta) (or as lon% as )o (eel )o need )or reest and that is li!itless. o can sta) (or M da)s or !ore. Fast i( possible. QAnd ess said nto the!, J?an the children
o( the bridecha!ber !orn, as lon% as the bride%roo! is with the!< bt the da)s will co!e, when the bride%roo! shall be taken (ro! the!, and then shall the) (astK t 9H15.
The aboe technie works. The aladura will tell )o that !ch. :hat else can we sa)< #o!e re=ect this !ethod as a wa) o( (orcin% God>s hand. #o be it. That is what God asked s to do in the parable o( the persistent widow. /e said Qen shold alwa)s pra) and not %ie p 3Lk 1BH1. oanah sed it and !an) other God>s %enerals sed it. artin Lther learnt the technie o(
endless pra)er in the !onaster). /e was alwa)s pra)in% either on his knees or pra)-walkin%, so!eti!es a whole ni%ht withot sleepin%. /e was the (irst re(or!er eer to hae sried the onsla%ht o( the papac) (or he died o( natral illness and not b) the %allows. This is the technie o( the aladura &ar e+cellence& it was the !ethod o( abalola and oses Ori!olade. 't is the !ethod o( all sccess(l Eli=ahs in God>s ine)ard. 't is the secret behind the sccess o( the ?A? toda).
-echni5ue of prayer
And this, then is how )o shold pra)H QOr Father in heaen, hallowed be )or na!e, )or kin%do! co!e, )or will be done on earth as it is in heaen. Gie s toda) or dail) bread. For%ie s or debts, as we also hae (or%ien or debtors. And lead s not into te!ptation, bt delier s (ro! eil one.> t H9-1@.
The Lord>s pra)er teaches s how to pra).426 't details the the!es that !st be present in an) pra)er piece as (ollows •
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?all pon the na!e o( God who will answer )or pra)er. '( not, it !i%ht be hi=acked b) the deil -*ur 4ather in hea-en :orship and adore /i! -hallowed be $our nae, $our kingdo coe
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Ask (or /is will -$our will be done on earth as it is in hea-en.
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Ask (or )or need %entl) -3i-e us toda$ our dail$ bread
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Ask (or (or%ieness o( sin -4orgi-e us our debts, as we also ha-e forgi-en our debtors
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Ask (or power to resist te!ptation And lead us not into te&tation,
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Ask (or power to resist deil and be saed (ro! his !achinations 5 but deli-er us fro e-il one
T/'# '# E?AI#E ?O'TT'$G #'$ A$+ *AE AE T:O '$?O*AT'LE# ;...#hall we contine in sin, that %race !a) abond< God (orbid; o! H1-2. T/AT '# ALLN
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$ow is the ti!e )o then detail all )or Qwants> withot leain% one ot. Wants5 galore6 *ost-pra)er caption -Through (esus Christ our "ord 7until now $ou ha-e not asked for an$thing in $ nae. Ask and $ou will recei-e and $our /o$ will be co&lete7 (n 891:;f<
6ffective 6li7ah prayer Eli=ah is considered a !odel o( !an o( e((ectie pra)er. That was wh) a!es said to hi!
Eli=ah was a !an =st like s. /e pra)ed earnestl) that it wold not rain and it did not rain on the land (or three and a hal( )ears. A%ain he pra)ed, and the heaens %ae rain and the earth prodced its crops. a!es 5H1M
Altho%h God answered Eli=ah>s pra)er he did not send leanness to his sol as those who ar%e sin% *s 10H15 which sa)s Qso he %ae the! what the) asked (or, bt sent a wastin% disease pon the! 3leanness to their sol- AD>. /ence it does not !ake sense to sa) that an) one whose pra)er is answered is (orcin% God>s hand and wold there(ore be pnished in the sol. '( )o pra)ed hard to receie I# U10 !illion and )o receied it, it is )or dt) to keep )or preios toch with )or God, which is o(ten ti!es, di((iclt bt not i!possible. '( leanness then co!es pon )or sol, it is not becase God has sent the leanness. 't is becase )o hae not heeded the cation )o need to e8ercise since loe o( !one) is the root o( all eil 31 Ti H10. ?hrist s!!ed p the power o( the pra)er(l !an which was the power o( Eli=ah.
' tell )o the trth whateer )o bind on earth will be bond in heaen, and whateer )o loose on earth will be loosed in heaen. A%ain, ' tell )o that i( two o( )o on earth a%ree abot an)thin% )o ask (or, it will be done (or )o b) !) Father in heaen. For where two or three co!e to%ether in !) na!e, there a! ' with the!.K t 1BH1B
"in factor in prayers o will see that all pra)ers !st be (ollowed with holiness. '( )o co!!it sin while )o ask (or )or want =st (or%et itN '( )o co!!it sin a(ter %ettin% )or want, the want will disappearN #TA A:A FO #'$, E#*E?'ALL T/E #EPIAL #'$# :/'?/ AE O#T ?OO$ AO$G#T O#T *EO*LE A$+ '$ T/E OI$G, A$+ E#*E?'ALL :/E$ *A'$G FO :A$T#N
&A& -heology of 8asting
abalola ta%ht the ?A? how to (ast. /e did 40 da)s and ni%hts (ast like ess be(ore he be%an his !inistr). /e ta%ht the ?A? that withot (astin% there can be no spirital power. #o!e people who (ast (or lon% in the ?A? are lookin% (or spirital power and %i(ts to per(or! !iracles becase the) think it is a (or!la (or obtainin% power. O( corse it is notN God %ies %i(ts as (reel) as he is able to do and does not %ie %i(ts (or %reed) prposes bt to adance his own kin%do!. Onl) a (ew hae learned to per(or! their (ast (or their earthl) Qwants> and not Qneeds>. oanah was the best e8a!ple o( this and this will be discssed in the sbseent chapters. There are so !an) proo( te8ts which s%%est that a ?hristian o%ht to (ast re%larl).4@6 A%ain (astin% is not abot bein% hol). 't is abot )or wants, not )or needs.446 't is not (or pleasin% God (or no (ast pleases God since he is not %oin% to derie an) pleasre (ro! starin% )o or eat )or abandoned (ood. Fast (or what )o want, no !atter how bi% )o think that thin% is. God will decide hi!sel( what si7e to %ie )o i( it is too bi%.
8asting techni5ue The ible a%ain proides the technie o( (astin%. o shold sta) awa) (ro! (ood, bt !a) not necessaril) sta) withot water. Al!ost all (asts in the ible is done with abstinence (ro! (ood bt not water incldin% the 40 da)s (ast o( ess 3k 1H12. Onl) the (ast o( Esther banned both (ood and water (or all ews liin% in *ersia. #elect the !ethod )o wish to prse. ethods o( (astin% inclde
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One da) (ast which breaks at .00p!. 't cold be (or a da) or !ore e.%. 1, @, M, 14, 21, 40 da)s. The (ast is broken eer) da) at .00p!. 't !a) be a da) (ast rotinel) e.%. twice a week, eer) Frida) or #nda) etc. 't !a) be !ore than one da) Ce.%. one da) one ni%ht which breaks at .00a.!., or 2 da)s 2 ni%hts or @, M, 14, 21, or 40 da)s and ni%hts (ast. Isall) i( )o !st %o withot water, tr) not to do it with an)thin% be)ond M da)s and ni%hts nless there is a de(inite instrction (ro! aboe to the contrar) . 'n the ne8t 10 da)s )o loose the (at in the bod) in lon% (ast. A(ter then the !scles o( )or bod) be%in to break down to proide ener%). A lon% (ast is dan%eros, nless God hi!sel( ordains itN
The nor!al ewish technie o( a da)>s (ast is to keep the head down (ro! .00a! to .00p! while pra)in% in a prostate position and so!eti!es in the open. Talk o( repetitionN Toda) we do not do this bt a person (astin% shold tr) to (ind the ti!e to pra). Fastin% can be co!bined with !anal or o((ice work. 't is best howeer i( )o hae the ti!e to be in seclsion or retreat drin% )or (ast.
'( a (ast is !ore than one da), it has to be broken %radall). +o not %o and take solid (ood at the end o( the (at. Take water (irst, then (rit or (rit =ice, 3not !ilkN and then abot an hor later (ollow with pap or cereal withot !ilk and then later solid (ood dependin% on the len%th o( the !arathon or lon% (ast. '( it is lon%er than @ da)s 3and ni%hts )o !a) need to be%in solid (ood the ne8t da) or later in the eenin%. For !edical reasons do not en%a%e in (ast in order to %et power (or )or %reed will let the process kill )o.456 't is not !edicall) adisable to stare )or sel( olntaril) and it !st there(ore be (or a %ood reason, which the /ol) #pirit will attest to. For e8a!ple a person who is doin% lon% (astin% becase heRshe has been pt in prison on (alse char%es is ite =sti(ied or a wo!an (astin% (or her child who is to be han%ed or ill or is d)in%. Generall) speakin%, lon% (astin% is sed to break the )oke o( crses as a reslt o( satanic or black !a%ic attacks and so!eti!es !a) be the onl) hope. As a !atter o( (act, there is a lon% te8t in the ible which proes this in the ook o( d%es
d%es 20H14-@ t the children o( en=a!in %athered the!seles to%ether ot o( the cities nto Gibeah, to %o ot to battle a%ainst the children o( 'srael. And the children o( en=a!in were n!bered at that ti!e ot o( the cities twent) and si8 thosand !en that drew sword, beside the inhabitants o( Gibeah, which were n!bered seen hndred chosen !en. A!on% all this people there were seen hndred chosen !en le(thanded& eer) one cold slin% stones at an hair breadth, and not !iss. And the !en o( 'srael, beside en=a!in, were n!bered (or hndred thosand !en that drew swordH all these were !en o( war. And the children o( 'srael arose, and went p to the hose o( God, and asked consel o( God, and said, :hich o( s shall %o p (irst to the battle a%ainst the children o( en=a!in< And the LO+ said, dah shall %o p (irst. And the children o( 'srael rose p in the !ornin%, and enca!ped a%ainst Gibeah. And the !en o( 'srael went ot to battle a%ainst en=a!in& and the !en o( 'srael pt the!seles in arra) to (i%ht a%ainst the! at Gibeah. And the children o( en=a!in ca!e (orth ot o( Gibeah, and destro)ed down to the %rond o( the 'sraelites that da) twent) and two thosand !en. And the people the !en o( 'srael encora%ed the!seles, and set their battle a%ain in arra) in the place where the) pt the!seles in arra) the (irst da). 3And the children o( 'srael went p and wept be(ore the LO+ ntil een, and asked consel o( the LO+, sa)in%, #hall ' %o p a%ain to battle a%ainst the children o( en=a!in !) brother< And the LO+ said, Go p a%ainst hi!. And the children o( 'srael ca!e near a%ainst the children o( en=a!in the second da). And en=a!in went (orth a%ainst the! ot o( Gibeah the second da), and destro)ed down to the %rond o( the children o( 'srael a%ain ei%hteen thosand !en& all these drew the sword. Then all the children o( 'srael, and all the people, went p, and ca!e nto the hose o( God, and wept, and sat there be(ore the LO+, and (asted that da) ntil een, and o((ered brnt o((erin%s and peace o((erin%s be(ore the LO+. And the children o( 'srael enired o( the LO+, 3(or the ark o( the coenant o( God was there in those da)s, And *hinehas, the son o( Elea7ar, the son o( Aaron, stood be(ore it in those da)s, sa)in%, #hall ' )et a%ain %o ot to battle a%ainst the children o( en=a!in !) brother, or shall ' cease< And the LO+ said, Go p& (or to !orrow ' will delier the! into thine hand. And 'srael set liers in wait rond abot Gibeah. And the children o( 'srael went p a%ainst the children o( en=a!in on the third da), and pt the!seles in arra) a%ainst Gibeah, as at other ti!es. And the children o( en=a!in went ot a%ainst the people, and were drawn awa) (ro! the cit)& and the) be%an to s!ite o( the people, and kill, as at other ti!es, in the hi%hwa)s, o( which one %oeth p to the hose o( God, and the other to Gibeah in the (ield, abot thirt) !en o( 'srael. And the children o( en=a!in said, The) are s!itten down be(ore s, as at the (irst. t the children o( 'srael said, Let s (lee, and draw the! (ro! the cit) nto the hi%hwa)s. And all the !en o( 'srael
rose p ot o( their place, and pt the!seles in arra) at aalta!arH and the liers in wait o( 'srael ca!e (orth ot o( their places, een ot o( the !eadows o( Gibeah. And there ca!e a%ainst Gibeah ten thosand chosen !en ot o( all 'srael, and the battle was soreH bt the) knew not that eil was near the!. And the LO+ s!ote en=a!in be(ore 'sraelH and the children o( 'srael destro)ed o( the en=a!ites that da) twent) and (ie thosand and an hndred !enH all these drew the sword. #o the children o( en=a!in saw that the) were s!ittenH (or the !en o( 'srael %ae place to the en=a!ites, becase the) trsted nto the liers in wait which the) had set beside Gibeah.
This is a stran%e stor). /ow can the en=a!ites de(eat the whole o( 'srael when God had told the! the) wold de(eat en=a!in< :hat has !ade en=a!in so stron%. '( )o read what created this proble! in d%es 19 )o will see that en=a!ites had %one apostate& the) had (ollowed a(ter the deil and beco!e de%enerate. There is onl) one e8planation (or this& the) hae %one to idols or black !a%ic which was helpin% the! to de(eat 'srael. Onl) a %ood (ast cold hae conered the!N t ess had !ade it clear when he e8plained to his disciples that so!e de!ons cannot be cast ot withot (astin%.
/owbeit this kind %oeth not ot bt b) pra)er and (astin%. t 1MH21
This sentence has been re!oed (ro! the $'D becase, accordin% to te8tal critics, it was not (ondin% the earliest ersion o( the Gospel accordin% to #t atthew. t te8tal critics are not alwa)s ri%ht and een while the) !ake their scienti(ic rles so!e o( sch rles !a) be e8ceptions, which is what !an) wold consider the proble! with t 1MH21 which has disappeared in !odern te8ts 3e.%.:escott-/ort critical te8t. Those who hae the e8perience will tell )o that withot (astin%, do not bother to take on powers o( darkness as in black !a%ic or #atanists. an) with sch e8perience in A(rica will sa) so and in $i%eria speci(icall), the ?A? see!s to hae the best and lon%est e8perience in this re%ard. The stor) o( d%es aboe is the best proo( te8t since te8tal critics do not hae an) proble! with that te8t. :hat ess is sa)in% in that te8t is si!ple, i( )o hae not (asted, so!e de!ons will not take )or co!!and which )o !ake in the na!e o( ess. #o!e hae had this e8perience !an) ti!es when the) are nable to cast ot de!ons and the) then inited senior !e!bers who did then did it with ease.46 '( )o !st cast ot de!ons, it is best to do so while (astin%N Lon% (ast 3to inclde da) and ni%ht is a stron% (eatre o( ?A? practices !ost o( who learnt it (ro! abalola who en%a%ed in lon% periods o( (astin% and pra)in%. As a !atter o( (act !ost other ean%elical and pentecostal pecliarit) o( ?A? in $i%eria at leastN %rops rarel) en%a%e in (astin%. 't is there(ore al!ost a
1hite fast This spposed to be (astin% in which )o take an)thin% white -sall) carboh)drate, bt aoid the oil) or sop) (oods which )o nor!all) se to take the white& e.%. sace to take bread etc. :hite (ast is ite co!!on in so!e o( the non ?A? aladura chrches. 't is $OT a nor!al ?A? (ast and it is onl) !entioned here as co!parison. #o!e hae interpreted and %ien alternate na!e sch as +aniel>s (ast to si!late +aniel>s denial where he !odi(ied his diet in order not to de(ile hi!sel( with ro)al (ood and wine.
*lease test )or serants (or ten da)s& Gie s nothin% bt e%etables to eat and water to drink. Then co!pare or appearance with that o( the )on% !en who eat the ro)al (oodSAt the end o( the ten da)s the) looked healthier and better norished than an) o( the )on% !en who ate the ro)al (ood. +an 1H12,15.
This is best called +aniel>s denial and not (ast and !a) be se(l (or concentration on one>s work, !editation or in re!oin% an) association with nclean thin%s in o((ered (ood or wine, bt not (ast. 't !a) be this last the!e that was in the !ind o( +aniel& bt it is certainl) not (ast. +an 10H@ sa)s
'n those da)s ' +aniel was !ornin% three (ll weeks. ' ate no pleasant bread, neither ca!e (lesh nor wine in !) !oth, neither did ' anoint !)sel( at all, till three whole weeks were (l(illed
The the!e in the last te8t is the closest to the (astin% we are re(errin% to aboe in the ible and cold be called +aniel>s (ast and also white or denial (ast . 't !a) be se(l (or spirital insi%ht and not war(are as +aniel hi!sel( (ond, (or a(ter this (ast he saw a ision o( the (tre 3+an 10H4-21.
2ong fasting don/ts Lon% (ast re(ers to those that inclde ni%hts in addition to da)s.
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+o not en%a%e in lon% (ast to %ain the loin% attention o( so!eone )o wish to !arr) who does not want )o. 't is absoltel) seless. This practice is co!!oner with (e!ales than !ales. +o not en%a%e in lon% (ast to %ain spirital power. 't !a) be dan%eros and )o !a) die in )or %reed.4M6 +o not en%a%e in lon% (astin% to %et closer to God. o do not need (ast to %row in the (rits o( the spirit. The (rits co!e natrall) nless )o hae not repented o( )or sins or )o hae not con(essed the! or so!e o( the!. +o not (ast (or other people )o do not know or who hae not reested (or )or aid nless the #pirit o( God leads )o. Generall) intercessor) pra)er, i( (erent need not be acco!panied b) (astin% nless the #pirit sa)s so and this is onl) (or those in delierance !inistr). +o not (ast to praise God. There are !an) da)s o( (east in the ible (or the ews, bt onl) one da) o( atone!ent which is a co!plsor) (ast 3Le 1H@0.4B6 God does not (orce )o to (ast. :hen )o praise God, eat and be !err)N +o not (ast (or sin. ?on(ess )or sins and repent- that is all. epentance !eans conscios trnin% awa) (ro! sin. +o not en%a%e in lon% (ast (or )or needs. '( )o do not %et )or need ite ato!aticall) then )o are liin% in sin. ?on(ess )or sins and repent and )o will see )or God proide (or )or dail) needs. But you can fast for your wants/ :astin# is >ods pro*idence for his chi%drens wants.
8asting in the early church 't is clear (ro! the $ew Testa!ent that al!ost all $ew Testa!ent apostles (asted. The !idache, which represented the practices o( the earliest chrch recorded in the 1 st-2nd centr) !ost especiall) at the ?hrches o( Asia recorded b) ohn the Apostle in eelation 3e 1H4 =st at the end o( the apostolic era, shows clearl) that !e!bers o( the chrch (asted two da)s a week rotinel) and een picked da)s the) were to (ast and the da)s the) were not to (ast.496
Deliverance in &A& and exorcism This is not as co!!on as it is in so!e o( the new *entecostal chrches bt onl) the ?A? was the (irst to pra) (or delierance (ro! sch conditions as *gban/e, eere, Abiku etc or !arine spirits. For !an) )ears the conditions were not nderstood b) the (orei%n !issions who denied their e8istence. ost who had the proble! then had no choice bt to %o to the natie doctors or /u/u !en.
A%ain this was learnt (ro! abalola who had considerable e8perience in dealin% with these proble!s. an) witches were said to hae repented in his ti!e and those who didn>t and took the pra)er water and were said to hae died.
Other practices o earrings9 -raditional ?A? worship does not allow wo!en to wear an) (or! o( %old or indeed earrin%s, in keepin% with the ad!onition to wo!en b) *eter in1 *t @H@. This is strictl) (orbidden in serice or indeed the chrch in !ain line ?A?.
or beat) shold not co!e (ro! otward adorn!ent, sch as braided hair and the wearin% o( %old =ewelr) and (ine clothes. 'nstead, it shold be that o( )or inner sel(, the n(adin% beat) o( %entle and iet spirit, which is o( %reat worth in God>s si%ht. For this is the wa) the hol) wo!en o( the past who pt their hope in God sed to !ake the!seles beati(l.
The point bein% !ade here is ite clear. :o!en know when the) dress to please the!seles and look decent and when the) dress to attract !en. 't has er) little to do with what )o !ake p. 'n an) case, the isse o( Q(ine clothes> in the te8t (nctions as the her!enetic ke). The opposite o( Q(ine clothes> is Q%l) clothes>. #hold a ?hristian (e!ale wear Q%l)> or Qpoor clothes> si!pl) becase (ine clothes are conde!ned b) *eter< ' personall) do not think that it is necessar) not !ake sch laws bt so!eti!es the) are se(l, becase withot re%lations, people rn ha)wire and the bod) o( ?hrist can be !isnderstood. an) other ean%elical and pentecostal chrches hae si!ilar rles.
"oteriological apologetics ' beliee that the practices o( the ?A? towards salation o( the indiidal are adeate. There is roo! o( corse (or i!proe!ent especiall) in the (ield o( ordo salutis. Also certain practices need to be protected (ro! abse so that it wold not be eas) to allow people (or! clts (ro! %enine biblical practices sch as la)in% o( hands, h)drotherap), %lossolalia and baptis! o( the /ol) #pirit. #o!e other practices which are not necessaril) i!portant and which !a) be !isnderstood, sch as hand bells (or worship etc !a) be eli!inated with contined edcation and s)nod. Let s now e8a!ine the ible to see i( it is tre that God still speaks to his people toda).
E$+ $OTE# FO O$TA$'# 16 /ere we pre(er the de(inition o( '. /. arshall o( Apostles in which (or cate%ories are de(ined, the widest bein% all Qwho had seen the risen Lord and receied his co!!and to be !issionaries.> #ee p. 40. th
2 (irstclosest sed widel) the 1 ran%in% centr) in to date re(er(ro! to the95 earliest ?hristian notp.inclded inQA thedesi%nation $T canon bt to the!inin ti!e, to abot 150. +.writers /a%ner, 40. @ Q#aint ohn one o( the twele Apostles, traditional athor o( the (orth %ospel, three epistles, and the eelation. /e and #t a!es the Greater were sons o( Vebedee& ess called the! oaner%es, or #ons o( Thnder. :ith *eter, the) were closest to ess, witnessed the Trans(i%ration, and were at Gethse!ane. ess, d)in%, co!!itted the Dir%in ar) to ohn>s careS 3+ied. A.+.c.100. /e is ariosl) known as #t. ohn the Ean%elist, #t ohn the +iine, and the eloed +isciple.> The Concise Colubia Enc$clo&edia, Electronic. 4 Q't was he 3?hrist who %ae so!e to be apostles, so!e to be prophets, so!e to be ean%elists, and so!e to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God>s people (or works o( serice, so that the bod) o( ?hrist !a) be bilt p ntil we all reach nit) in the (aith and in the knowled%e o( the #on o( God and beco!e !atre, attainin% to the whole !easre o( the (llness o( ?hrist.> Eph 4H11-1@. 5 Q$ow to each one the !ani(estation o( the #pirit is %ien (or the co!!on %ood. To one there is %ien thro%h the #pirit the !essa%e o( wisdo!, to another the !essa%e o( knowled%e b) !eans o( the sa!e #pirit, to another (aith b) the sa!e #pirit, to another %i(ts o( healin% b) that one #pirit, to another !iraclos powers, to another prophec), to another distin%ishin% between spirits, to another the interpretation o( ton%es.> ' ?or 12HM-10. Q*hr)%ia- ancient re%ion, central Asia inor 3now central Trke). The *hr)%ians, apparentl) 'ndoEropeans, entered 3c. 1200.?. the area (ro! the alkans. The kin%do! o( *hr)%ia 3(l. B th-th centr), .?. is associated in Greek le%end with idas and Gordis. *hr)%ia was later do!inated in trn b) L)dia, the Gals, *er%a!n, and o!e.> The Concise Colubia Enc$clo&edia, 1999, Electronic. M A cltre-bond !edical condition associated with so!e ps)chic or ps)chiatric !ani(estations, in which the indiidal speaks in lan%a%es (orei%n to hi!Rher or in lan%a%e not nderstood at all. This pheno!enon is co!!on in er) !an) pa%an ritals and worship. #ee ap, 1951. B 't is di((iclt deter!ine this historio%raphicall). #ince ontans did not add new doctrine which cold not easil) be disproed b) appeal to the canon, he !a) hae been !isnderstood on this. #ee +aid Ane, 19BM, pp. MM-115 on historio%raph) o( $T. 10 't is
er ) possible that the ishops had alread) taken the power o( (or%ieness in the o!an ?atholic chrch b) i%norin% sch passa%es as t 9H, so that ontans was onl) e8ercisin% athorit) in his own chrch and showin% that prophetic %i(ts ali() to apostolic or pastoral dties in the chrch, incldin% absoltion.
161 This contines to be a proble! in !odern da) charis!atic circles. Those with apparent Qspirital %i(ts> hold positions o( athorit) and are er) in(lential in orderin% chrch actiities. 162 odern charis!atics hae !ade si!ilar errors like ontans !ade. As a !atter o( (act, a bi% deno!ination was (onded on an eschatolo%ical error. The #eenth +a) Adentist !oe!ent which be%an o((iciall) in 1B@ 3see A. /oeke!a, p. @M was (onded onl) a(ter its prophet :illia! iller 31MB2-1B49 predicted that ess was to co!e to earth on 22 October 1B44 and (ailed. Ellen :hite 31B2M1915 was considered b) the newl) (or!ed chrch to be a prophetess o( so!e sort. #he said in 1BBB, Qt the appointed ti!e had passed, and the Lord had not appeared. The belieers knew that God>s :ord cold not (ail& their interpretation o( the prophec) !st be at (alt,> p. @4M. 16@ Tertllian Qhas been characteri7ed both as the Jlast o( the Greek (athersK and as Jthe (irst o( the Latin (athers.K oth descriptions are appropriate, since he preseres in his work a co!pendi! o( !ainstrea! ?hristianit), while si%ni(icantl) (oreshadowin% the Latin ?hrch>s preoccpation with power and stressin% sch le%al the!es as con(ession, penance, rennciation and !erit> . "earsle), pp. M5-M. 164 ohn :esle) hi!sel( reported in 1M@9 Jno sooner had he 3Geor%e :hit(ield be%n 3in the application o( his ser!on to inite all sinners to beliee in ?hrist, than (or persons sank down close to hi!, al!ost in the sa!e !o!ent. One o( the! la) withot either sense or !otion. A second tre!bled e8ceedin%l). The third had stron% conlsions all oer his bod), bt !ade no noise nless b) %roans. The (orth, eall) conlsed, called pon God with stron% cries and tears. Fro! this ti!e, ' trst, we shall all s((er God to carr) on /is own work in the wa) that pleaseth /i!,> p. M. 165 Q?haris!atics- neo-*entecostal ?hristians whose worship e!phasi7es the %i(ts o( the #pirit 3charis!ata listed b) #t. *al in ?orinthians, especiall) healin% and speakin% in ton%es 3%lossolalia. ?onte!porar) charis!atics are distin%ished (ro! other *entecostals b) their ori%ins in neo-*entecostal 3especiall) !ainline *rotestant and o!an ?atholic chrches drin% the Jcharis!atic renewalK !oe!ents o( the 190s.> The Concise Colubia Enc$clo&edia, Electronic, 1999. 16 .:. :ard, pp. 502-505. 16M 'n $i%eria we hae the older Aladura chrches which were established alon% prophetic lines in the earl) parts o( the last centr) with the ?herbi! and #eraphi! #ociet) takin% the lead in 1925, (ollowed b) the Apostolic ?hrch in19@0. The raide !oe!ent o( 191 appeared ite prophetic bt lacked the charis!atic leanin%s o( the Aladura pentecostal !oe!ents o( the 19@0s. t the neo-pentecostals and the Aladura do not clai! there are onl) three canonical prophets. :hile !an) desire to stick to the ible in !atters o( doctrine, others !a) deiate (ro! it onl) becase o( i%norance, or indeed illiterac). Those who deiate (ro! iblical teachin%s deliberatel) cannot be classi(ied as ?hristian at all. And there are !an). 16B erkabah !)stics trace there ori%ins to the chariot seen b) E7ekiel 3E7 1 a(ter his ascent to heaen. Qerkabah !)sticis! in the tal!dic period contained the (ollowin% three ele!entsH 31 an idea o( !)stical ascent to heaen& 32 erkabah h)!ns& and 3@ speclation o( the #i’ur =oah t)peS.The technie o( ascent had two aspects. First, preparationH For so!e da)s prior to the ascent the adept !ade hi!sel( read) b) (astin% , eatin% special (ood, or bathin% S.#econdl), there was the ascent itsel(. This was e((ected b) the recitation o( 31 erkabah h)!ns or pra)ers 32 !a%ic (or!lae& or 3@ inocations o( God or o( the archan%els b) !a%ical (or!lae, and inocations hae one thin% in co!!onH the) all inole the rh)th!ic repetition o( certain words, or sonds, or ideas. Gien the ri%oros preparations (or the ascent, the sense o( anticipation and the ara o( !)ster) and awe with which the act was srronded, this repetition wold hae been potent eno%h to hae sent the adepts into trance. 'ts e((icac) wold hae
been !a%ni(ied i(, as /ai Gaon asserts, the !)stics recited the h)!ns with their heads between their knees, in the !anner o( Eli=ah on ont ?ar!el 3c( ' "%s 1BH42, ths constrictin% their breathin%S.Accordin% to /ekalot abbati the adept was e8pected to speak drin% the trance and scribes were placed to write down what he said, (or his tterances were taken to be reelations o( what was happenin% in the heaenl) world. 't is not clear whether an) o( these tterances hae been incorporated directl) into the erkabah te8ts& it is possible that so!e o( the an%elic na!es and !a%ical (or!lae are %lossolalia.> * Ale8ander, 19B2, pp.2@1-2@4. Other (or!s o( spirit !)sticis! are (ond in ewish and ?hristian circles - o%o!il heres) 3. "nibb, ?aballa !a%ic 3 The Concise Colubia Enc$clo&edia<, ?alendolo%ia 3E 'saacs and /irsidis! 3The Concise Colubia Enc$clo&edia bt are not as serios as the aboe. 169 *al had !entioned that the) wold cease bt the conte8t o( his talk !akes it likel) he is re(errin% to the era o( eschatolo%)& ie at the end ti!es. #ee ' ?or 1@HB-11.
B!BL!O>RA=)<
A%eander, =. @ 3/ebrew Apocal)pse o( Enoch 3Fi(th to #i8th ?entr) A+. 'n The *ld Testaent >seude&igra&ha. Dol. 1. /. ?harlesworth ed. $ew orkH +obleda), 19B2, pp. 22@@1. Andersen :. 2 3#laonic Apocal)pse o( Enoch 3Late First ?entr) A+.'n The *ld Testaent >seude&igra&ha. Dol. 1. /. ?harlesworth ed. $ew orkH +obleda), 19B2, pp. 91-222. Aune, Da*id E. The New Testaent in its "iterar$ En-ironent. *hiladelphiaH The :est!inster *ress, 19BM. Eni, Emmanue%, !eli-ered fro the >owers of !arkness. 'badanH #criptre Inion, 19B. :u%%er, Lois. A Missionar$ 0andbook on African Traditional %eligion. $i%eria Ean%elical issionar), osH ?A*O, 1994. >rant, 0 -The %ise of the 3reeksH *hoeni8, 19BM, p 1M. >rudem 5. #$steatic Theolog$, An introduction to 'iblical !octrine, LeicesterH 'D*, 1994. )a#ner, D.A. Apostolic Fathers. 'n New !ictionar$ of Theolog$. #inclair . Fer%son and +aid F. :ri%ht eds. LeicesterH 'D*, 19BB p. 40-42. )oekema, A. #eenth +a) Adentis!. 'n New !ictionar$ of Theolog$. #inclair . Fer%son and +aid F. :ri%ht eds. LeicesterH 'D*, 19BB p. @M. !saac, E. 1 3Ethiopic Apocal)pse o( Enoch 32nd ?entr) ? to 1st ?entr) A+ 'n The *ld Testaent >seude&igra&ha. Dol. 1. /. ?harlesworth ed. $ew orkH +obleda), 19B2, pp. 5-90.
@ears%ey, R. Tertllian. 'n New !ictionar$ of Theolog$. #inclair . Fer%son and +aid F. :ri%ht eds. LeicesterH 'D*, 19BB p. M5-MM. @nibbs 0.A. art)rdo! and Ascension o( 'saiah 3#econd ?entr) ?- Forth ?entr) A+. 'n The *ld Testaent >seude&igra&ha . Dol. 2. /. ?harlesworth ed. $ew orkH +obleda), 19B2, pp. 14@-1M. 0arsha%%, !.). Apostle. 'n New !ictionar$ of Theolog$. #inclair . Fer%son and +aid F. :ri%ht eds. LeicesterH 'D*, 19BB p. 40. O%usheye, E.).L. 19B@, #aint oseph A)o abalola 1904-1959, The A(rican Fore!ost eli%ios eoltionar) leader eer lied. AkreH ?hristian Oerco!ers *blishers, 19B@. O#unranti .O. +e%ree Anato!), a te8tbook o( pre and applied anato!) (or de%ree stdents. *ort /arcortH Iniersit) o( *ort /arcort *ress. =ee%, .D.<. AladraH A religious o-eent aong the Yoruba. 'nternational A(rican 'nstitteRO8(ord Iniersit) *ress. 19B.
The ?oncise ?ol!bia Enc)clopedia. ookan '' odel, "-1440. rlin%tonH Franklin ?o, 1999. Ryken Le%and, 5i%hoit ames $ Lon#man !!! &rempe. +ictorinar) o( iblical '!a%er). An enc)clopedic e8ploration o( the i!a%es, s)!bols, !oti(s, !etaphors, (i%res o( speech and literar) patterns o( the ible. LeicesterH 'D*. 5i%%iams =eter L. 5arwick Ro#er Dyson 0ary and Bannister Lawrence ).3ra$’s
Anato$. @Mth ed. Edinbr%hH ?hrchill Liin%stone, 19B9. 5es%ey, ohn.The (ournal of (ohn Wesle$.. ?hica%oH ood) *ress, n.d. 5ard, .5.*entecostalist Theolo%). 'n New !ictionar$ of Theolog$ . #inclair . Fer%son and +aid F. :ri%ht eds. LeicesterH 'D*, 19BB p. 502-50. 5hite, E%%en >. The 3reat Contro-ers$. 1BBB. eprinted 19M. *hoeni8H 'nspiration ooks.
16The Apostolic ?hrch is
a pentecostalist %rop which %rew ot o( the %reat :elsh reials o( the (irst decade o( the twentieth centr), at which preachers stor!ed the towns and alle)s and thosands o( people declared (or ?hrist, and, in the ?hrch>s lan%a%e, were (illed with the /ol) Ghost. 't has a (ew hndred branches in the ritish 'sles, !ostl) in lar%e towns, and concentrated in #cotland, :ales, and northern En%land. 'ts headarters is at *en)%roes in Gla!or%an, and it has a !issionar) headarters at rad(ord. 't beliees in the aptis! o( the /ol) Ghost, which is otpored in the last da)s, and di((ers (ro! si!ilar chrches in its %oern!ent, which is based on the orders o( apostles, prophets, ean%elists, and pastors o( the $ew Testa!ent& e!phasis is laid on the isionar) %idance o( the prophetic !inistr)>, and diine healin% is preached and practices, 't is, o( corse, stron%l) (nda!entalist> *eel .+. 19B Aladura1 A religious o-eent aong the Yoruba. O8(ord Iniersit) *ressH 'nternational A(rican 'nstitte p% 105. 26 *eel
said o( the reials-Q'n l) 19@0 a !eetin% took place at 'lesha o( Faith Tabernacle dele%ates to discss certain !atters oer which there had been disa%ree!ent between abatope and so!e others.- particlarl) the insistence on !ono%a!) and the co!plete opposition to all !edicine. The !eetin% was attended b) #adare, Akin)ele and Odban=o, as well as other dele%ates. oseph abalola ca!e too. The details o( what occrred a(ter he had once !ore told the stor) o( his call- the healin% which br%eoned into the lar%est !ass !oe!ent o( orbaland has seen C are not entirel) clear, t b) the week-end there were hndreds o( people at the hill, Oke O)e, =st within the walls o( 'lesha town, separated (ro! the rest o( the town b) a strea!, and in those da)s ite open %rond. The reial attracted h%e n!bers o( people (ro! as (ar awa) as 'lorin, '=eb or een across the $i%er, and cased serios disrption o( transport and (ood spplies, which bro%ht it to the notice o( the athorities. e(ore this ast concorse, seeral ti!es a da), oseph abalola, clad in white shorts and shirt, with the ible and hand bell, preached to the people to renonce eil practices and witchcra(t, and brin% ot (or brnin% all their idols and == , (or God was power(l eno%h to answer all their needs, and to cre the!. Frther !ore, what beca!e a standard practice, he sancti(ied the near-b) strea! b) pra)er, as oi i$e, the water o( li(e, as had been reealed to hi!. A +istrict O((icer who attended a !eetin% noted its prel) reli%ios and ino((ensie character& it was not dra!atic or e8citin%, and was !ost i!pressie when the people raised the water-essels on their heads (or abalola to bless the!. /e took no !one) and the crowds were orderl)& the worst con(sion was on the roads leadin% to 'lesha (ro! '(e and '=eb.> 'bid, p. 91 @6 E./.L. Olshe)e, 19B@, #aint (ose&h A$o 'abalola 8?@;58?? , The A(rican Fore!ost eli%ios eoltionar) leader eer lied. AkreH ?hristian Oerco!ers *blishers, pp @@-@5. 46 *eel
.+. 19B Aladura1 A religious o-eent aong the Yoruba. O8(ord Iniersit) *ressH
'nternational A(rican 'nstitte p 102-@. 56 'bid,
p. 11@
6 E!!anel
Eni was one o( the (irst ?hristian in $i%eria to e8pose the i!portance o( white %ar!ents in worship and there(ore openin% p new s)ste!atics in Aladrais! in $i%eria and indeed *entecostalis! when he !ade the (ollowin% con(essions o( his own practice when he was in the occlt O*E$'$G OF :/'TE GAE$T ?/I?/E# Q:hen a !an co!es to s (or an assistance to bild a pra)er hose and help hi! per(or! healin%s etc he wold be %ien so!e conditions. 3a /e will a%ree to +O$ATE TO I# O$E O T:O #OIL# EDE EA 3a At a certain leel o( o((ice in the chrch the person wold be '$'T'ATE+ TO OI #O?'ET and 3c $O !e!ber wold be allowed to co!e into the pra)er hose with #/OE# O$ :hen he accepts these conditions he wold be %ien so!ethin% like a :/'TE GADEL, /IA$ O$E#, LOO+ and ?/A#, ALL '$ A $AT'DE *OT. /e wold be instrcted to I T/'# *OT :'T/ ALL T/E ?O$TE$T# '$ FO$T OF T/E ?/I?/ A$+ I T/E ?O## O$ 'T# TO*. AFTE T/E I'AL, O$L T/E ?O## #/OIL+ E #EE$. /e wold be adised to I'L+ A *OOL O "EE* A A#'$ :/EE #*''T# :OIL+ ?O$T'$IE TO #I**L #*E?'AL :ATE. T/'# :ATE '# :/AT OI /EA T/E ?ALL J/OL :ATEK. an) people when distrbed b) eil spirits %o to these Qprophets> to cast the! ot. The trth is T/E O$L A++ OE +EO$# TO T/E. A +ED'L ?A$$OT ?A#T OIT +ED'L. :hat the prophet wold do is, he will pra) (or the !e!ber and then %ie hi!Rher a red cloth to pt in hisRher hose, and then wold adise hi!Rher to alwa)s pra) with candles and incenses. ) this act the person inites s into hisRher hose. #o!eti!es the !e!ber wold be adised to brin% %oat etc (or sacri(ice. These sacri(ices are (or s to contine and help cre the !an. The prophet has no power to cre or heal.> E!!anel Eni, !eli-ered fro the >owers of !arkness. 'badanH #criptre Inion, p 25. 't is cer) srprisin% that this kind o( in(or!ation can be pblished b) a pre ean%elical %rop like the #criptre Inion. '( the #criptre Inion can pblish this then it is er) likel) to be tre. *lease note the di((erence between the Qhol) water> here and the t)pe sed in ?A? which is not called hol) water bt Qliin% water> and is proided b) the indiidal hi!sel( and pra)ed pon b) the cler%) or prophet. M6 .:. :ard e8plains *entecostalist theolo%)
as (ollows-Q *entecostalis! is one strea! within Ar!inian ean%elicalis! with distinctie e!phases pon a (rther e8perience a(ter conersion, na!el), the baptis! in the /ol) #pirit and an ende!ent o( power si%ni(ied bt speakin% in ton%es 3%lossolalia& pon the %i(ts o( the #pirit listed in 1 ?or 12HB-10. *entecostal theolo%) has its roots in arios aspects o( 19 th centr) (nda!entalis! in A!erican holiness %rops which ta%ht that one cold receie a(ter conersion an e8perience o( entire sancti(ication, so!eti!es called the baptis! o( the #pirit, and an ende!ent o( power b) so!e
ke) leaders sch as ?harles Finne), Asa ahan 31B00-B9 and *hoebe :. *al!er 31B0M-BM& the teachin% o( .A. Torre) 31B5-192B and others who clai!ed that the baptis! o( he #pirit was a post-conersion ende!ent o( power pri!aril) (or witness and serice, not sancti(ication& the teachin% o( A.. #i!pson 31B4@-1919 and A.. Gordon 31B@-95 and others that diine healin% was to be receied b) (aith& and the pre!illenialis! and the need to lie in e8pectation o( the i!!inent retrn o( ?hrist ta%ht b) .$. +arb), ?.'. #co(ield 31B4@-1921 and !an) others. These strea!s all contribted to the Q(or-sare> e!phases o( *entecostal preachin%H ?hrist the #aior, ?hrist the bapti7er in the /ol) #pirit, ?hrist the healer and ?hrist the co!in% "in%.
*rigins and s&read The ori%ins o( *entecostalis! !a) be dated to 1 anar) 1901, when iss A%nes O7!an, a stdent at ethel ible ?olle%e, Topeka, "ansas, spoke in ton%es a(ter the principal, ?harles Fo8 *arha! 31BM@-1929, laid hands on her and pra)ed (or her to receie the power o( the #pirit. /ence(orth, (or *entecostals, the spre!e si%n o( bein% bapti7ed in the #pirit wold be speakin% in ton%es. This is considered to be the %atewa) to iid e8perience o( God, liel) worship, the %i(ts o( the #pirit, especiall) diine healin%, and power (or ?hristian witness and serice. :ithin a (ew )ears, *entecostalis! had spread widel) in the I#A, especiall) thro%h the in(lence o( the A7sa #treet Apostolic Faith ission in Los An%eles. 't soon reached Erope, where there was a read) response to its !essa%e a!on% so!e a((ected b) recent spirital awakenin%s in :ales and elsewhere. *entecostalis! %ained a stron% (oothold in #candinaia and sbseentl) spread world-wide> *entecostalist Theolo%). New !ictionar$ of Theolog$, eds #.. Fer%son and +.F. :ri%ht, LeiceserH 'D*, pp 502-@. B6
*eel, p 14M
96 O$TA$'# This discorse seeks to identi() historical (actor which !a) be i!portant in !odern nderstandin% o( ?hrch histor) (or which lessons can be learnt. 'n this case, we speak o( the #pirit !oe!ents o( the 20th centr) which hae their episte!olo%) or basis %ronded in the e8perience o( *entecost in which Qton%es o( (ireSseparated and ca!e to rest on each o( the!. All o( the! were (illed with the /ol) #pirit and be%an to speak in other ton%es as the #pirit enabled the!.> Acts 2H@-4. 2. ODEE$T ontanis! was a !oe!ent which be%an in the 2 nd ?entr) A+ 315 in the ?hristian ?hrch that had =st been depried o( the presence o( the Apostles1 and een the Apostolic (athers,2 and it lasted (or 400 )ears till 550 A+. The Apostles had all died& the last bein% ohn the Gospel writer who !a) hae died abot 100 A+@. ontans was a conert into the ?hristian chrch and in A+ 15 he be%an the !oe!ent which now bears his na!e. /e clai!ed he was a prophet i!bed with %i(ts o( the /ol) #pirit as clearl) ennciated earlier b) *al in his letter to the Ephesians4 who also inhabited the sa!e Asia inor o( ontans 3i.e. present da) ?entral Anatolian Trke) and also in the (irst letter recorded to the ?orinthians 3' ?or 125. ontans was a (or!er pa%an priest o( the cit) o( *hr)%ia which was er) well known (or all sorts o( pa%an spiritist pheno!enolo%), incldin% prophes)in%, ecstas) etc. A pa%an priest (ro! *hr)%ia was known to be able to (ast, see isions, dance, s((er a lot o( tortre and een prophes). A(ter the conersion o( ontans, he clai!ed he was now %ien the prophetic abilit) =st like the Apostles o( old. /e was later =oined b) two wo!en who abandoned their hsbands to take part in the new prophetic !oe!ent. The) were a8i!illa and *riscilla. Later the trio (or!ed a new chrch which spread rapidl) all oer Asia inor, Erope and $orth A(rica. :hat was said to be nor!atie in the practice o( the new chrch was
prophes)in% in a state o( conlsie (ren7). 't is not known whether this was acco!panied b) speakin% in ton%es 3%lossolaliaM or not. @. T/EOLOG ontans and his two disciples ta%ht that the world had alread) co!e to an end. The a%e was done and the $ew ersale! clearl) predicted to co!e (orth into the earth in e 21&2 will soon descend and enter the cit) o( *ep7a. /ence, (aith(ls were adised to proceed to *ep7a in order to await the co!in% o( ess ?hrist. The !oe!ent did not disa%ree with the essential doctrines o( the chrch 3e% ?hristolo%ical or soteriolo%ical bt held that the) cold proide new reelation thro%h the three (ondin% prophets 3ontans hi!sel( and his two (e!ale aidsB. t the !oe!ent also e!phasised the need (or spirital %i(ts in the chrch and a constant need to (ast, keep a disciplined li(e, and sin%le !arria%e 3no re!arria%e. 't encora%ed (aith(ls to desire !art)rdo! (or to do otherwise was sin(l. Finall), the %rop deeloped a ha!artiolo%) o( (or%ieness o( sin- the three (ondin% !e!bers cold (or%ie sins and also other !e!bers who had deeloped Qhi%h spiritalit)> and wo!en cold hold o((ice in chrch.96 The eschatolo%) o( this %rop was hi%hl) pro(ond. 4. EFFE?T O$ ?/I?/ :ile the lait) took seriosl) !ost o( the teachin%s o( ontans and his %rops and this cold hae led to the rapid spread o( the or%anisation, the chrch hierarch) (rowned at it. For one, it was srpation o( athorit). '( the hi%hl) Qspirital> people cold (or%ie sins, what beco!es o( the bishops who did not !ani(est an) apparent spirital %i(ts< 10 And o( corse, when the $ew ersale! did not descend into *ep7a, it was er) eas) to brand the %rop as (alse and de!on inspiredN 'n order to sa(e%ard the chrch a%ainst sch occrrences in the (tre, the ?hrch leaders declared a closre o( the $ew Testa!ent canon altho%h there were still controersies as to the %enineness o( so!e o( the books o( the potential canon. The chrch rled ickl) that it was no lon%er possible a(ter the a%e o( the Apostles (or an)one to receie a new canonical reelation (ro! the /ol) #pirit. t ontans ar%es eloentl) (ro! ohn 1H12( to de(end hi!sel( ' hae !ch !ore to sa) to )o, !ore than )o can now bear. t when he, the #pirit o( trth, co!es, he will %ide )o into all trth. /e will not speak on his on& he will speak onl) what he hears, and he will tell )o what is )et to co!e.> 12-1@.
ontans was sa)in% he was %ien the power o( interpretation and eschatolo%ical predictions. The #criptres sa)s the #pirit will %ide to all trth and reeal what is to co!e 3i.e. eschatolo%). ontanis! bro%ht sharpl) to (ocs the chrch>s need to control what the scriptres sa)s and how to interpret and %ard a%ainst (tre abse o( scriptre or indeed reelation. 't led to the closre o( the canon and the disband!ent o( prophec) (ro! the chrch. 5. EDALIAT'O$ OF O$TA$'# t was ontanis! actall) eil< ?hrch leaders belieed ontans to be de!on-possessed bt can we reall) eri() this< '( we appeal to scriptre, is it possible to actall) co!e to a conclsion that ontans was not correctl) (ollowin% the path o( the aster albeit with so!e errors which hae been repeated b) others in !odern ti!es<11 '( ontans was a (alse prophet cold his or%ani7ation hae been so prolon%ed lon% a(ter his death< '( he was still a priest o( the pa%an worship o( *hr)%ia, it is er) dobt(l i( he wold insist that his !e!bers present the!seles (or ?hristian !art)rdo!. 'ndeed, i( the !e!bers (ond nothin% %ood in hi!, the) will not (ollow a %rop that will lead the! to their death. There is no dobt that his prophec) o( the i!!inence o( the $ew ersale! ca!e ot to be (alse, bt does that !ake hi! a (ake person or indeed a pa%an in ?hristian clothin%< '( so, then !an) dispensationalists toda) will be also At%reatest least one %ood thin% ca!e otconerted o( the ontanist Tertllian12 3(l c. 19-212 A.+., one(alse. o( the o(er) the ?hrch (athers, was thro%h !oe!ent. the !inistration o( the %rop. /e later (or!ed his own %rop and had considerable in(lence on the deelop!ent o( earl) chrch histor). . #*''TIAL'# AFTE O$TA$I#
#piritalis! and prophetis! did not co!pletel) die ot in the chrch a(ter ontans. #poradic cases were reported in the !edieal a%es and later in the reials o( ohn :esle)1@ o( the 1B th centr) and those o( the 19 th centr) awakenin% in Erope and the A!ericas. t the !ain spirital reawakenin% ca!e in the (or! o( pentecostalis!14 at the trn o( the 20th centr). This particlar !oe!ent was not ascribed to an)one. 't =st happened spontaneosl) and its histor) is as (ollows. The ori%ins o( pentecostalis! !a) be dated to 1 anar) 1901, when iss A%nes O7!an, a stdent at ethel ible ?olle%e, Topeka, "ansas, spoke in ton%es a(ter the principal, ?harles Fo8 *arha! 31BM@1929, laid hands on her and pra)ed (or her to receie the power o( the #pirit. /ence(orth, (or *entecostals, the spre!e si%n o( bein% bapti7ed in the #pirit wold be speakin% in ton%es. This is considered to be the %atewa) to iid e8perience o( God, liel) worship, the %i(ts o( the #pirit, especiall) diine healin%, and power (or ?hristian witness and serice.15 This !odern wonder, can it hae an) bearin% with ontanist !oe!ent o( the earl) chrch< :hat is its si%ni(icance toda) i( it is real as it clai!s< M. O+E$ #*''TIAL'# A$+ O$TA$'# ?O*AE+ 't appears the !odern spiritalis! enterprises and the older !ontanis! see! to hae !an) thin%s in correspondence. One is the %i(t o( prophec). #o !an) people clai! to be prophets toda) and trace their abilit) to the %i(t o( the /ol) #pirit.1 ore i!portantl), all see! to e!phasi7e the power o( pra)er to chan%e li(e sitations& a the!e which in !ost cases is absent in orthodo8) and which leads the! inariabl) into deep Ar!inianis!. The) are all apocal)ptic, !essianic, chialistic, and hain% the (laor o( Old Testa!ent prophets like ere!iah who calls on his people to repent or be doo!ed and that o( ohn the aptist 3incldin% his charis!a pleadin% with the people Qto repent (or the kin%do! o( God is at hand.> #ch hae a lar%e propensit) to beco!e corrpted =st like the root spirit !oe!ent in dais! called erkabah !)sticis!1M datin% back to seeral decades be(ore ?hrist. B. ?O$?LI#'O$. :hile the new spirital chrches are er) si!ilar in theolo%) to those o( the ontanist, the) still hae not lasted that lon%. :e can there(ore not sa) what cold beco!e o( the!. t one thin% is sre. :e shold alwa)s be care(l not to conde!n what we cannot nderstand. :hen God spoke to #a!el, /e had been silent (or abot a period o( possibl) 400 )ears. This was wh) een Eli hi!sel( was not too sre who was callin% #a!el. The ible sa)s 'n those da)s the word o( the Lord was rare& there were not !an) isions. ' #a! @H1. :e cannot deter!ine (or God when /e wishes to por ot /is %i(ts to the chrch& also we cannot deter!ine when the) are to cease.1B t we can deter!ine iolation o( the #criptres (or the #criptre alone can proide an) !eanin%(l reelation o( the !ind o( God (or this a%e and indeed all a%es.
See End notes on 0ontanism 106 There
is considerable eidence to s%%est that these %i(ts did not disappear (ro! the chrch bt were (ond in di((erent a%es within di((erent %rops rather than the !ain line. Een so!e o( these %i(ts were reported in :esle)>s ethodis! in his 3:esle)>s da)s. 116 Glossolalia is actall) a !edical condition which is considered b) !ost ps)chiatrist to be a!on%st the so called cltre Cbond s)ndro!e to which !ost *entecostal will re(er to as de!on possession. An e8a!ple o( cltre-bond s)ndro!e 3ap, *.. ental diseases pecliar to certain cltresH a sre) o( co!paratie ps)chiatr). (ournal of Mental #cience 9MH@1@-@2M, 1951 in $i%eria is *gban/e, Abiku or Eere 3see below. /ence it is clear that it is not all speakin% in ton%es that is (ro! God. #o!e are clearl) satanic. To the ps)chiatrist tho%h, all speakin% in ton%es represent so!e ps)chiatric ail!ent which !a) be treated as ps)choses or !ental deran%e!ent. +espite its er) %reat s)ste!atics and classi(ication, ps)chiatr) still re!ains a world o( !)ster) which is hardl) scienti(ic, its
s)ste! o( treat!ent non-e!pirical or not alwa)s e((icacios b) an) standard. iolo%ical ps)chiatr) is be%innin% to chan%e this postre. 126 There
is nothin% wron% in proidin% o((ice o( apostleship to worth) candidates when the) de!onstrate nsal skills, talents and %i(ts in the !odern chrch. This was done in the 1 st centr) chrch a(ter the e8it o( the ori%inal apostles who saw ess. At the !idache sa)s this !ch. 1@6 #la)in%
in spirit as this practice is called has now beco!e the easiest to !i!ic in satanic worship. #ee note no 20 one thin% is wron% with this ordo salutis, -there shold be a place (or baptis! o( the /ol) #pirit in it. Grde! beliees what is bein% re(erred to in k 1HB 3' bapti7e )o with water, bt he will bapti7e )o with the /ol) #pirit on the aptis! o( /ol) #pirit b) ess be(ore ohn the aptist is sancti(ication. t seeral scholars di((er in this re%ard. ?onersion in so!e pentecostal chrches is said to be (irst blessin% while baptis! o( /ol) #pirit is re(erred to as second blessin%. t the Apostolic (aith insists there are three blessin%s as (ollows- 1 st conersion, 2nd Csancti(ication, @rd- baptis! o( /ol) #pirit with speakin% in ton%es, all o( which are de(inite e8periences. 146 Onl)
156 The
Gospel o( ohn was the last to be written.
16 The
word Qon> here has a de(inite si%ni(icance which onl) an appeal to Geek reli%ios s)ste! can captre its tre !eanin%. 't is not =st eno%h to beliee ess is the son o( God - that is what the Greek word, &isteuo translated as beliee in En%lish, !eans. o !st also !ake hi! )or personal deit) and hence the !odern ersion o( conersion which talks o( acceptin% ess as personal saior. This is o( corse not in the ible bt captres the essence o( beliein% Qon> ess closel). Grant sa)s o( the old Greek deities> t these deities cold be saa%el) dan%eros i( !en and wo!en did not acknowled%e the! 3that is what the Greek ter! no!i7ein !eans C not Qbeliee in> and i( the) were not placated& this was an an8iet)-appeasin% reli%ion o( (or!al reciprocit), do ut des, ' %ie )o so that )o shall %ie !e> p 1M. Grant -The %ise of the 3reeksH *hoeni8, p 1M. 1M6 On water or h)drotherap) one can not bt e8plain that nothin% can be s!arter than the se o( water in the )ears when the reials started in :estern $i%eria. Firstl) it was (reel) aailable, cheap, and a !edi! which !ake contact with an) ite!. Ths )o can sprinkle water on an) ite!, incldin% clothin%, se it to cook (ood, drink it etc. 't was a s!art article o( (aith no !atter what an) one sa)s. 'n that re%ard, its (nction is hi%her than oil which cannot be sed (or all ite!s (or sancti(ication, pri(ication anointin% etc. t in this a%e, when eer)one estions eer)thin%, ' pre(er to se oil which is well established in the $ew Testa!ent in order to aoid bein% !isnderstood. 3/eb 1H9. *eel sa)s QTrnin%power to sorces *rotestant interpretation is anot conseence o( askin% what iso( sorce thedo, the spirital the) other hae than witnessed. ostible people, o( corse, do bother to ask this estion& thoseo( who !ore sel(-conscios ?hrist Apostolic pastors e8plain oi i$e, (or e8a!ple, as !erel) an aid to the pre operation o( (aith in God, while so!e o( the ?herbi! and #eraphi!, not so a((ected b) Eropean *rotestant !ental habits, e8plain it b) a !ore traditional s)!bolis!, or !a) !ake scienti(ic co!parisons, sch as h)dropath)>p 142.
1B6
#ee 1 aboe
196
*eel, p 14.
206
*eel, p 14M
216 #o!e
handle the e8ed estion in ean%elical ?hristianit) whether a real ?hristian can be de!on possessed or not b) sa)in% ?hristians cannot be de!on possessed in the spirit bt the bod) can beco!e de!on in(ested in certain sicknesses which are o( de!onic ori%in or in wearin% accrsed thin%s or in tochin% so!ethin% nclean. The ible clearl) states, and the ?hristians !iss the i!port o( this %reat te8tQ+o not be )oked to%ether with nbelieers. For what do ri%hteosness and wickedness hae in co!!on< Or what (ellowship can li%ht hae with darkness< :hat does a belieer hae in co!!on with an nbelieer< :hat a%ree!ent is there between the te!ple o( God and idols< For we are the te!ple o( the liin% God. As God has saidH J' will lie with the! and walk a!on% the!, and ' will be their God, and the) will be !) people.K JThere(ore co!e ot (ro! the! and be separate, sa)s the Lord. Toch no nclean thin% and ' will receie )o. ' will be a Father to )o, and )o will be !) sons and da%hters, sa)s the Lord Al!i%ht).> 2 ?or H14-1B. t *al contines Q#ince we hae these pro!ises, dear (riends, let s pri() orseles (ro! eer)thin% that conta!inate bod) and spirit, per(ectin% holiness ot o( reerence (or God.> 2 ?or MH1. This te8t in (act answers those ?hristians who sa) )o cannot be possessed in the spirit i( )o are a ?hristian. 't sa)s pri() )orsel( (ro! an) conta!ination o( bod) and spirit. aterials, and people 3incldin% se8 whichRwho are de!on in(ested can pass the de!ons to non in(ested people and these cold be ?hristians. The di((erence is that the ?hristian has athorit) and can ask the de!ons to lie bt the) !a) not %o i( !aterials that attracted the! are still arond )o. t the sin(l ?hristian can o( corse hae de!ons in both bod) and spirit. rown 31990. 'ecoing A -essel of 0onor Bn The Master’s #er-ice, p 2@1.#prin%daleH :hitaker /ose, pp 14M-9.Also ebecca rown narrates a stor) o( how ?hristians can beco!e deceied while seekin% delierance and then be de!oni7ed. Qar) nderstood that when people knelt be(ore s, or een bowed their heads be(ore s, the) were actiel) sb!ittin% the!seles to s and acceptin% whateer we wanted to %ie the!. O( corse the) tho%ht we were pra)in% (or the!, bt their sb!ission to s %ae s the le%al ri%ht to pt de!ons into the!. The) also directl) opened the door (or it b) allowin% their !inds to %o blank withot testin% the spirit knockin% the! ot. ar) showed !e the proper incantations to do and how to hae the people hold their hands p like this. 226
QThen she wold tap the! (irst on one hand then on the other, then on their (orehead, !akin% the si%n o( an pside down cross. QOt the) wold %o, eer) ti!e. #he then did it to !e and ' (ell oer nconscios. ' %ess ' was ot (or (ie !intes or so. :hen ' awoke, ' (ond that ' had acired a new de!on. ar) told !e this special de!on wold pt de!ons into the people ' pra)ed (or. And so he did. '>! sre
that isn>t the onl) wa) people pt de!ons into people b) hain% the! hold their hands like that, bt that is how we did it, 'bid, pp 45-. 2@6
'bid, pp 4-M.
246
*eel, p 14B.
256
*eel, p 14@.
26 Odban=o
was the (irst General #ecretar) o( the ?A?, a post he had held in the old da)s o(
Faith Tabernacle. /e there(ore re!ains one o( the theoretical pillars o( ?A?is! toda). /e died in1959. 2M6
*eel, p 1@B.
2B6
*eel, p 1@1
Ne&hili called and translated J$ephili!K in $'D, $A#, #D, A#D, bt %iants in "D and $". 'n iew o( the ideas deried (ro! daic literatre, J%iantK see!s to captre the translation well. 296
@06 QThe
people o( this a%e !arr) and are %ien in !arria%e. t those who are considered worth) o( takin% part in that a%e and in the resrrection (ro! the dead will neither !arr) nor be %ien in !arria%e, and the) can no lon%er die& (or the) are like the an%els. The) are God>s children, since the) are children o( the resrrection.> Lk 24H@4-@. This te8t !ore than e8plains itsel(. First it proides answer as to who are re(erred to as sons o( God in the Gen accont. The) are an%els, and not !en as clai!ed b) !an). #econdl) it talks abot the nor!al, not the abnor!al. An%els do not !arr), does not !ean an%els cannot !arr). An%els do not disobe) God does not !ean an%els cannot disobe) God and !an) did in the past and will s((er the conseences in the (tre when accordin% to *eter and de QAnd the an%els who did not keep their positions o( athorit) bt abandoned their own ho!e-these he had kept in darkness, bond with eerlastin% chains (or =d%!ent on the %reat +a).> de 10 QFor i( God did not spare the an%els when the) sinned, bt sent the! to hell, pttin% the! into %loo!) dn%eons to be held (or =d%!ent.> '' *e 2H4. 'n an) case, this then is (nction in the ewish literatre which beliees that an%els ca!e to sleep with da%hters o( !en who %ae birth to the Ne&hili. The %iant Ne&hili were wiped ot at the ti!e o( $oah>s (lood. The) cold not hae persisted to an) !odern a%e, since onl) $oah and his descendants sried the (lood. The ewish tradition holds that their spirits were liberated as de!ons a(ter their death since the) were spposed to be partiall) i!!ortal and are the s!all or lar%e de!ons that now poplate the sea, dr) land, air etc which pla%e !an. 'n 'sla!ic tradition and literatre the) are the =inns> 3#rah 4H29-@0. Also the correct translation son of 3od in the OT is an%el. #o when it said Qsons o( God> went into Qda%hter o( !en>, it si!pl) !eans an%els went into h!ans. #ee the (ollowin% te8ts. Q$ow there was a da) when the sons of 3od ca!e to present the!seles be(ore the LO+, and #atan ca!e also a!on% the!.> ob 1H.
QA%ain there was a da) when the sons of 3od ca!e to present the!seles be(ore the LO+, and #atan ca!e also a!on% the! to present hi!sel( be(ore the LO+, Qob 2H1 :hen the !ornin% stars san% to%ether, and all the sons of 3od shoted (or =o)< ob @BHM @16 QFor
i( God did not spare the an%els when the) sinned, bt sent the! to hell, pttin% the! into %loo!) dn%eons to be held (or =d%!ent.> 2 *e 2H4, interpreted b) de QAnd the an%els who did not keep their positions o( athorit) bt abandoned their own ho!e-these he had kept in darkness, bond with eerlastin% chains (or =d%!ent on the %reat +a).> de 10. rown 31990. 'ecoing A -essel of 0onor Bn The Master’s #er-ice, p 2@1.#prin%daleH :hitaker /ose, p 2@1. @26
@@6 This
interpretation 3or indeed translation is rooted in ewish apocal)ptic literatre (or the ordinar) !eanin% o( Ne&hili is J(allen onesK. There(ore there is nothin% in the te8t to s%%est the) were %iants and i( so, what proportions the) were. :ith all the ewish traditions known, it is clear that Ne&hili were re%arded as %iants o( so!e sort and were een co!pared with the sons o( Anak in $!1@H@2-@@. QAll the people we saw there are o( %reat si7e. :e saw the $ephili! there 3the descendants o( Anak co!e (ro! the Ne&hili. :e see!ed like %rasshoppers in or own e)es, and we looked the sa!e to the!.> 'n describin% biblical %iants, the athors o( !ictionar$ of 'iblical Bager$ said QThe swa) that %iants hae held oer the h!an i!a%ination is in e8cess o( the n!ber o( their appearances in the ible, where a %reat deal o( !)ster) srronds the re(erences. :e !i%ht note at the otset, then that one o( their associations is that o( !)ster)-so!ethin% be)ond or abilit) to (ll) co!prehend. For /ebrew words are translated as J%iantK in arios En%lish translations. Ne&hili are !)sterios pre(lood bein%s 3Gen H4, rendered n(or%ettable in the eocatie state!ent that Jthere were %iants in the landK 3"D. Anaki were tall pre-'sraelite inhabitants o( ?anaan 3+et 2H10-11, 21&9H2, who in the report o( the spies are said to be descendants o( the $ephili! 3$! 1@H@@. %e&hai were likewise pre-'sraelite inhabitants o( ?anaan 3+et 2H11& @H11-1@, not necessaril) o( %i%antic proportions. And (inall), gibbor is a ter! sed to desi%nate a !ilitar) hero or stron% !an, tho%h it is ncertain whether the) were %i%antic in hei%ht and wei%ht. :ith the possible e8ception o( the Ne&hili, who re!ain shroded in !)ster), all o( the biblical %iants are oersi7ed h!ans whose sperior si7e !ade the! (eared on the battle(ield. The !ilitar) proince o( the biblical %iant is attested b) the wa) re(erences to the! clster in battle conte8ts 32 #a! 21H1-22& 1 ?hron 20H4-B.> )ken, :ilhoit and Lon%!an ''', 199B, @2B. @46 Q#ir
Arthr "eith sa)s o( $eanderthal !an J'n si7e o( brain $eanderthal was not a low (or!. /is skill as artisan shows that his abilities were not those o( a low order. /e had (ire at his co!!and. /e bried his dead. /e had a distinct and hi%hl) eoled (or! o( cltre. $eanderthal was certainl) not a dawn (or! o( h!anit).> )ron ?. $elson, After Bts )ind 3ineapolis, A%sbr% *blishin% /ose, 192M, 15@. QAt the pper pleistocene 0. sa&iens neanderthalis apeared (ro! 0 erectus and is %enerall) reco%ni7ed as ancient ersion o( !odern !an. 'n (act !odern !an did eole (ro! neanderthal !an, deelopin% !odern (eatres (ro! the ancient ones o( the pper pleistocene !an. ?lassical $eanderthal (eatres inclde a lar%e brain si7e o(
abot 1,00 cc lar%er than that o( !odern !en& dolichocephalic sklls with pro=ectin% occipitals. The) also had lar%e brow rid%es, their hands were power(l. $eanderthal !an was as erect as an) !odern !an toda). /e was !ainl) a hnter-%ather and he tili7ed pri!itie stone tools like the !osterian cltre. 't is belieed that !odern !an eoled (ro! the central Erasian !ass and !oed to the peripher). /e presents toda) as !ainl) brach)cephalic, erect, ronded occipital and (rontal bones, s!all dentition, s!all =aws, parabolic dental arcade& strai%ht and (ll) e8tensie knees and lips, carr)in% an%le (or the (e!r, lar%e anterior cond)le o( the (e!r, deep notch between the cond)les o( the (e!r, absence o( sa%ittal crest or pro%nathis!, scant) hair on the bod), (orward lookin% (ora!en !a%n!, hi%hl) opposable th!b with adaptations (or precision and writin% %rips. #o!e o( the (eatres listed aboe are present on (etal apes.> .O. O%nranti, !egree Anato$, 3*ort /arcort Iniersit) *ress, 19B5, 2@4-2@. /ence the (eatres o( $eanderthal !an is si!ilar to those o( !odern apes, ro%h and hea)& a (eatre that easil) captres the pictre o( a cae!an. t the (eatres o( !odern !an rese!ble closel) those o( (etal or new born ape. @56 QThe
$eanderthals were responsible (or the so-called osterian chipped stone cltre - a cltre that was shared b) so!e ?ro -a%noids, who were indisptabl) h!an.> :a)ne Frair and *ercial +ais. A Case for Creation. 3?hica%o, ood *ress, 19M, 125. Q$eanderthal an is eer)bod)>s idea o( or cae!an ancestors dresses in ani!al skin, he was nast), brtish and short. Anato!icall) he is well known (or the !an) e8istin% skeleton. There is little dobt in !ost scientists !inds that $eanderthal !an is a race o( 0oo sa&iens speci(icall) adapted to the ecolo%ical conditions o( his eniron!ent drin% the period o( the last %laciation. #o!e o( these adaptations inclde sch (eatres as a sat bod) and knobbl) =oints which (acilitated blood (low (or the e8tre!ities. ?lassic $eanderthali! were a (or! o( Eropean Eski!o, and the), the last o( the line, disappeared abot @0,000 )ears a%o. Their (ate is ncertain tho%h the %eneral consenss is that the) were %eneticall) absorbed into the poplation o( ?ro-a%non people, tre
0oo sa&iens, !ch as the %enes o( the #abines were absorbed in the %enetic pool o( their o!an conerors.> .. $apier and *./. $apier.The Natural 0istor$ of the >riates . ?a!brid%e Iniersit) *ressH ritish se! o( $atral /istor), 19B5,1B5. Altho%h a n!ber o( scientist beliee $eanderthal !an was short, there are no scienti(ic eidences to proe this (or !ost o( his skeleton hae been obtained (ro! his skll and the lon% bones hae not been well stdied. @6 QOne
eenin% ' decided to hae a walk. Alon% Ebte etta s stop, ' saw a )on% beati(l lad) standin%. ' neer spoke a word to her. The ne8t da) while passin% also ' saw her still at the sa!e spot. The third da) ' saw her still at the sa!e spot and while passin% she called !e. ' stopped and introdced !)sel( to her as E!!anel A!os bt she re(sed introdcin% hersel(. ' asked her na!e and address bt she onl) la%hed. #he asked !e !ine and ' told her the street O$L. :hen ' was abot leain%, she said she wold isit !e one da). 'n !) !ind ' said Jthat was i!possible, ' did not tell her !) hose n!ber how then cold she co!e.K t tre to her words, ' heard a knock on !) door a(ter a week o( that !eetin% at the bs stop. There she was, the !)sterios lad)N ' welco!ed her 3in !) !ind. ' wondered who this beati(l lad) was, and did she know she was threadin% on dan%eros %ronds< ' entertained her and she le(t. A(ter this (irst isit, her isits beca!e re%lar withot an) relationships. ' noticed that in her isits she kept to a particlar ti!e, and wold not co!e a !inte earlier or laterN 'n so!e o( her isits ' wold take her to the La%os arbeach, or to *ara!ont /otel or A!bassador /otel etc. All these while
she still did not tell !e her na!e. ' decided not to worr) since ' knew the relationship wold not deelop !ore than that. ' had alread) been instrcted neer to toch a wo!an. #ddenl) she chan%ed the da) isits to ni%hts. +rin% one o( the isits she told !e C Jnow it is ti!e (or )o to isit !e.K :e sta)ed to%ether that ni%ht and at B.00a.!. The (ollowin% da) we took o((. :e =oined a bs and she told the drier to stop s at the beach. As we stopped, ' asked her Jwhere are we %oin%t worr) )o are %oin% to know !) hose.K #he took !e to a corner o( the bar beach, sed so!ethin% like a belt and tied arond s and i!!ediatel) a (orce ca!e (ro! behind and pshed s into the sea. :e started (l)in% on the sr(ace o( the water and strai%ht to the ocean. +ear reader, these happened in !) ph)sical (or!N At a point we sank into the seabed and to !) srprise ' saw s walkin% alon% an e8press wa). :e !oed into a cit) with a lot o( people all er) bs)S. ' saw laboratories like science lab, desi%nin% lab, and a theatre. At the back o( the cit), ' saw )on% beati(l %irls and handso!e )on% !en. $o old people. #he introdced !e to the! and ' was welco!ed. #he took !e to a place called Qdarkroo!> and a Qdr)in% roo!,> and a Qpackin% roo!> #he then took !e to a !ain (actor) and warehose and then ca!e back to her own priate !ansion. There she sat !e down and told !eH J' a! the IEE$ OF T/E ?OA#T and wold like er) !ch to work with )o, ' pro!ise to %ie )o wealth and all that %o with it, protection and all that %o with it, li(e and an Qan%el> to %ide )oK. #he pressed a btton and a tra) ca!e ot with h!an (lesh 3in pieces in it and we ate it to%ether. #he co!!anded a boa to appear and asked !e to swallow it. ' cold not. #he insisted bt ' cold not, how cold ' swallow a li(e boa. #he then sed her powers and ' swallowed it. These three coenantsH The /IA$ FLE#/, and LOO+, the OA and the +EO$'? A$GEL were alwa)s there to !ake sre no secret was reealed. t the Qan%el> was %ien power to discipline !e i( ' went astra) and also to brin% !e (ood (ro! the sea an)ti!e ' was here on earth. ' pro!ised to obe) her alwa)s.> !eli-ered fro the >owers of !arkness, 'badanH #criptre Inion *ress, pp 1-1M. @M6 For
those who re(se to beliee in witchcra(t, its the!e is er) pro(ond in the ible. 'n (act in the da)s o( oses, it was said Q+o not allow a sorceress to lie> E8 22H1B. There are seeral witchcra(t practices recorded in the ible and to s!!ari7e the) are as (ollows -Astrolo%) 3's 4MH1@, er 10H2, habdo!anc) 3E7 21H21, /os 4H2, /epatoscop) 3E7 21H21, $ecro!anc) 3Le 19H@1, +e 1BH11, 's BH19, 19H@, Teraphi! 3E7 21H21, Vech 10H12, Fa!iliar spirit 3speakin% with dead- 1 #a! 2BHM-11 @B6
ebecca rown, p @9.
is a transliteration o( the /eb. Litr%ical call hall lu5$ahW>praise )e ah>, the shortened (or! o( ahwehSwhich occrs 24 ti!es in the *salter. Tho%h it is !erel) one ariant o( seeral calls to praise, the (act that with one e8ception 3*s. 1@5H@ it is alwa)s (ond at the be%innin% or end o( psal!s, and these are all anon)!os and so pres!abl) a!on% the later ones, s%%ests that it had beco!e a standardi7ed call to praise in the post-e8ilic Te!ple worshipSFro! the $T 3QAllelia>, e 19H1, @-4, the call has been taken oer into ?hristian worship.> /.L. Ellison, $ew ible +ictionar), @rd ed. LeicesterH 'D*,199 p 441. @96 QThis
*sal!s 10H1 *raise )e the LO+ 3 0allelu$ah. O %ie thanks nto the LO+& (or he is %oodH (or his !erc) endreth (or eer. *sal!s 111H1 *raise )e the LO+. ' will praise the LO+ with !) whole heart, in the asse!bl) o( the pri%ht, and in the con%re%ation. *sal!s 112H1 *raise )e the LO+. lessed is the !an that (eareth the LO+ that deli%hteth %reatl) in his co!!and!ents. *sal!s 11@H1 *raise )e the LO+. *raise, O )e serants o( the LO+, praise the na!e o( the LO+. *sal!s 11MH1 O praise the LO+, all )e nationsH praise hi!, all )e people. *sal!s 1@5H1 *raise )e the LO+. *raise )e the na!e o( the LO+& praise hi!, O )e serants o( the LO+. *sal!s 14H1 *raise )e the LO+. *raise the LO+, O !) sol. *sal!s 14H10 The LO+ shall rei%n (or eer, een th) God, O Vion, nto all %enerations. *raise )e the LO+. *sal!s 14MH1 *raise )e the LO+H (or it is %ood to sin% praises nto or God& (or it is pleasant& and praise is co!el). *sal!s 14BH1 *raise )e the LO+. *raise )e the LO+ (ro! the heaensH praise hi! in the hei%hts. eelation 19H1 And a(ter these thin%s ' heard a %reat oice o( !ch people in heaen, sa)in%, Allelia& #alation, and %lor), and honor, and power, nto the Lord or God. 406 '(
an elder or sperior !an is an%r) with )o and wants to do )o eil, %o to the (ar! or wa)side where )o can secldedl) pra) at 5.@0 o>clock a.!. be(ore snrise. ead *sal! @B seen ti!es with *sal! @9. *rononce the (ollowin% /ol) na!es as )o are readin% it,XXXX (or @B and XXXXXXXXX(or @9. Fast thro%h the da), and )o will know that there is God.> *eel, p 121.The !ethod which is decidedl) !a%ical is per(or!ed a!a7in%l) with (astin%, and een in solitar) places =st as )o do with real pra)ers. #o beware o( i!itation. 416 There is
a clear distinction in the $ew Testa!ent abot what )o Qneed> which God sa)s he will sppl) )o een withot )o askin%, and those thin%s )o want, which )o !st se )or !oth to ask (or. The proo( te8ts are as (ollows EED- QThere(ore ' tell )o, do not worr) abot )or li(e, what )o will eat or drink& or abot )or bod), what )o will wear. 's not li(e !ore i!portant than (ood, and the bod) !ore i!portant than clothes< Look at the birds o( the air, the) do not sow or reap or store awa) in barns, and )et )or heaenl) Father (eeds the!. Are )o not !ch !ore alable than the)< :ho o( )o b) worr)in% can add a sin%le hor to his li(e< And wh) do )o worr) abot clothes< #ee how the lilies o( the (ield %row. The) do not labor or spin. et ' tell )o that not een #olo!on was dressed like one o( these. '( that is how God clothes the %rass o( the (ield, which is here toda) and to!orrow is thrown into the (ire, will he not !ch !ore clothe )o, O )o o( little (aith< #o do not worr), sa)in% Qwhat shall we eat<> or Qwhat shall we drink<> or Q:hat shall we wear< For the pa%ans rn a(ter these thin%s, and )or heaenl) (ather knows that )o need the!. t seek (irst the kin%do! o( God and is ri%hteosness, and all these thin%s will be %ien to )o as well. There(ore do not worr) abot to!orrow, (or to!orrow will worr) abot itsel(. Each da) has eno%h troble o( its own.>t H25-@4.
This is the *aline renderin% o( the aboe doctrine (ro! ess Q) God will !eet all )or needs accordin% to his %lorios riches in ?hrist ess>- *hil 4H19 5A&
atthew 21H22 And all thin%s, whatsoeer )e shall ask in pra)er, beliein%, )e shall receie.
ohn 1H24 /itherto hae )e asked nothin% in !) na!eH ask, and )e shall receie, that )or =o) !a) be (ll. a!es 4H@ e ask, and receie not, becase )e ask a!iss, that )e !a) cons!e it pon )or lsts. 1 ohn @H22 And whatsoeer we ask, we receie o( hi!, becase we keep his co!!and!ents, and do those thin%s that are pleasin% in his si%ht. The rles o( en%a%e!ent hae been spelt ot. o ask (or what )o want, be hol) and beliee )o will receie and )o will receie the!. +o not be %reed) abot what )o ask and be patient. :hat the ible is silent abot is the len%th o( ti!e (or askin% bt it deals with this and the n!ber o( ti!es to ask in the parable o( the persistent widow. '# 'T ED'L TO A#" FO :A$T#< $ON #o!e insist it is wron% to ask (or )or wants bt )o rather ask (or God>s will sin%, the (ollowin% te8t as their proo( te8t QAnd he %ae the! their reest& bt sent leanness into their sol> *s 10&15.3AD $ow co!pare with the renderin% in $'D Q#o he %ae the! what the) asked (or, bt sent a wastin% disease pon the!.> This anti-want ar%!ent is based on the sol (actor. 't %oes like this- i( )o (orce God>s hand, then )or sol will be lean, which !eans )o will be nable to co!e as close as possible to God. t the te8t is not talkin% abot sol bt the bod) and there(ore cannot hae a case and e((ect relationship. That is to sa), there can be no relationship between pra)in% to %et what )o want (ro! God and pnish!ent. ne&hesh is translated in AD ersions as sol, whereas in the present conte8t it shold not be translated into a ph)sical thin% like bod) or (lesh bt sol and hence the renderin% o( $'D is closer to the !eanin% o( the te8t than that o( AD.But it is not wron# to ask for your wants. #'$ FA?TO '$ :A$T# 't is a co!plete :O$G to sin when )o ask (or )or wants. '( )o sin a(ter )o hae receied )or wants it will srel) disappear. 1 ohn @H22 sa)s ;And whatsoeer we ask, we receie o( hi!, becase we keep his co!!and!ents, and do those thin%s that are pleasin% in his si%ht.; #TA A:A FO #'$ '$ O+E TO E?E'DE OI :A$T#. The !a=or reason (or his is as (ollows- sin brin%s ato!aticall) pnish!ent. :e all hae to answer (or or sins becase whateer a !an sows, he will reap. #o i( )o sleep with so!eone else;s wi(e, so!eone else will also sleep with )ors or )o will %et a pnish!ent co!!ensrate with )or sin. All sins are o( eal soteriolo%ical wei%ht be(ore God bt not all sins are o( eal wei%ht in the leel o( seerit). Ths !rder cannot be eated with a si!ple lie. 'n the (or%ieness o( sin (or eternal li(e a sin is a sin , bt in the law o( kar!a which is whateer a !an sows he shall reap 3 GAL HM +o not be deceiedH God cannot be !ocked. A !an reaps what he sows, the) are not the sa!e. Ths the pnish!ent (or killin% so!ebod) is not the sa!e with the pnish!ent (or a si!ple lie which does not hrt an)one. EDE$ :/E$ #'$# AE FOG'DE$ #OTE'OLOG'?ALL, T/E AE #T'LL *I$'#/E+ ?''$OLOG'?ALLNN /ence een i( )o are (or%ien so that )o can be washed thoro%hl) clean with the blood o( the La!b, )o will still receie the pnish!ent o( )or sin here on earth co!!ensrate with its cri!inolo%ical
wei%htN The best e8a!ple o( this is in the ible is the case o( +aid and his pnish!ent a(ter co!!ittin% adlter) with Iriah;s wi(e 32 #a! 12H15-1B.
!idache tells s that the earliest o( ?hristians a(ter the apostolic era were told to recite the Lord>s pra)er three ti!es a da). 426 The
4@6 These te8ts
are deried (ro! the Old and $ew Testa!ents on (astin%
2 #a!el 12H1 +aid there(ore beso%ht God (or the child& and +aid (asted, and went in, and la) all ni%ht pon the earth.
2 #a!el 12H21 Then said his serants nto hi!, :hat thin% is this that tho hast done< tho didst (ast and weep (or the child, while it was alie& bt when the child was dead, tho didst rise and eat bread.
2 #a!el 12H2@ t now he is dead, where(ore shold ' (ast< can ' brin% hi! back a%ain< ' shall %o to hi!, bt he shall not retrn to !e.
1 "in%s 21H9 And she wrote in the letters, sa)in%, *roclai! a (ast, and set $aboth on hi%h a!on% the peopleH
1 "in%s 21H12 The) proclai!ed a (ast, and set $aboth on hi%h a!on% the people.
2 ?hronicles 20H@ And ehoshaphat (eared, and set hi!sel( to seek the LO+, and proclai!ed a (ast thro%hot all dah.
E7ra BH21 Then ' proclai!ed a (ast there, at the rier o( Ahaa, that we !i%ht a((lict orseles be(ore or God, to seek o( hi! a ri%ht wa) (or s, and (or or little ones, and (or all or sbstance.
Esther 4H1 Go, %ather to%ether all the ews that are present in #hshan, and (ast )e (or !e, and neither eat nor drink three da)s, ni%ht or da)H ' also and !) !aidens will (ast likewise& and so will ' %o in nto the kin%, which is not accordin% to the lawH and i( ' perish, ' perish.
'saiah 5BH@ :here(ore hae we (asted, sa) the), and tho seest not< where(ore hae we a((licted or sol, and tho takest no knowled%e< ehold, in the da) o( )or (ast )e (ind pleasre, and e8act all )or labors.
'saiah 5BH4 ehold, )e (ast (or stri(e and debate, and to s!ite with the (ist o( wickednessH )e shall not (ast as )e do this da), to !ake )or oice to be heard on hi%h.
'saiah 5BH5 's it sch a (ast that ' hae chosen< a da) (or a !an to a((lict his sol< is it to bow down his head as a blrsh, and to spread sackcloth and ashes nder hi!< wilt tho call this a (ast, and an acceptable da) to the LO+<
'saiah 5BH 's not this the (ast that ' hae chosen< to loose the bands o( wickedness, to ndo the hea) brdens, and to let the oppressed %o (ree, and that )e break eer) )oke<
ere!iah 14H12 :hen the) (ast, ' will not hear their cr)& and when the) o((er brnt o((erin% and an oblation, ' will not accept the!H bt ' will cons!e the! b) the sword, and b) the (a!ine, and b) the pestilence.
ere!iah @H9 And it ca!e to pass in the (i(th )ear o( ehoiaki! the son o( osiah kin% o( dah, in the ninth !onth, that the) proclai!ed a (ast be(ore the LO+ to all the people in ersale!, and to all the people that ca!e (ro! the cities o( dah nto ersale!.
oel 1H14 #ancti() )e a (ast, call a sole!n asse!bl), %ather the elders and all the inhabitants o( the land into the hose o( the LO+ )or God, and cr) nto the LO+,
oel 2H15 low the tr!pet in Vion, sancti() a (ast, call a sole!n asse!bl)H
onah @H5 #o the people o( $ineeh belieed God, and proclai!ed a (ast, and pt on sackcloth, (ro! the %reatest o( the! een to the least o( the!.
Vechariah MH5 #peak nto all the people o( the land, and to the priests, sa)in%, :hen )e (asted and !orned in the (i(th and seenth !onth, een those seent) )ears, did )e at all (ast nto !e, een to !e<
Vechariah BH19 Ths saith the LO+ o( hosts& The (ast o( the (orth !onth, and the (ast o( the (i(th, and the (ast o( the seenth, and the (ast o( the tenth, shall be to the hose o( dah =o) and %ladness, and cheer(l (easts& there(ore loe the trth and peace.
atthew H1 oreoer when )e (ast, be not, as the h)pocrites, o( a sad contenanceH (or the) dis(i%re their (aces, that the) !a) appear nto !en to (ast. Deril) ' sa) nto )o, The) hae their reward.
atthew H1B That tho appear not nto !en to (ast, bt nto th) Father which is in secretH and th) Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openl).
atthew 9H14 Then ca!e to hi! the disciples o( ohn, sa)in%, :h) do we and the *harisees (ast o(t, bt th) disciples (ast not<
atthew 9H15 And ess said nto the!, ?an the children o( the bridecha!ber (ast, as lon% as the bride%roo! is with the!< bt the da)s will co!e, when the bride%roo! shall be taken (ro! the!, and then shall the) (ast.
ark 2H1B And the disciples o( ohn and o( the *harisees sed to (astH and the) co!e and sa) nto hi!, :h) do the disciples o( ohn and o( the *harisees (ast, bt th) disciples (ast not<
ark 2H19 And ess said nto the!, ?an the children o( the bridecha!ber (ast, while the bride%roo! is with the!< as lon% as the) hae the bride%roo! with the!, the) cannot (ast.
ark 2H20 t the da)s will co!e, when the bride%roo! shall be taken awa) (ro! the!, and then shall the) (ast in those da)s.
Lke 5H@@ And the) said nto hi!, :h) do the disciples o( ohn (ast o(ten, and !ake pra)ers, and likewise the disciples o( the *harisees& bt thine eat and drink<
Lke 5H@4 And he said nto the!, ?an )e !ake the children o( the bridecha!ber (ast, while the bride%roo! is with the!<
Lke 5H@5 t the da)s will co!e, when the bride%roo! shall be taken awa) (ro! the!, and then shall the) (ast in those da)s.
Lke 1BH12 ' (ast twice in the week, ' %ie tithes o( all that ' possess.
446 456 :hat
nor!all) kills in a (ast !edicall) is the loss o( ital and i!portant ntrients which we se dail) to %ie orseles ener%) (or een the si!plest process o( the bod) sch as respiration. Ener%) is stored in co!ple8 !olecles like starch and %l)co%en bt broken down to si!ple !olecles, sch as %lcose to proide stren%th. #ch si!ple !olecles are needed in staration or else, the bod) will need !ore ener%) to break down co!ple8 !olecles like protein, starch, (at. /ence these latter ntrients are best aoided when breakin% a lon% (ast (or the ener%) reired to di%est the (ood can kill the indiidal. $ote howeer that (astin% is a natral process o( %ettin% rid o( acc!lated poisons which we inariabl) take p while we eat which the lier cleanses. t too !ch (ood oer labors the lier. Abstinence (ro! (ood %ies it a respite er) !ch needed. To there(ore sa) that (astin% cases !adness or sickness is not tre. t eer)thin% !st be done in !oderation. +on>t (or%et the ori%inal !anner o( eatin% was hnter-%atherin%. A hnter !a) %o withot (ood (or da)s, =st like !ost carnioros ani!als be(ore the) see their pre).
46 The
stor) is told o( oanah castin% ot a de!on in less than two seconds o( co!!and Jo de!on %et ot o( this child> while two e8orcists had en%a%ed this de!on (or well oer 5 hors withot sccess. 4M6 :hile
lon% ni%ht-da) (ast !a) be dan%eros, nless )o hae a speci(ic disease da)-onl) (ast can neer kill an)one altho%h it !a) !ake )o loose wei%ht. To aoid losin% wei%ht )o can take two !eals a da) drin% the lon% da) (ast C one at .00p! and the other be(ore !idni%ht. That wa) no one will know )o hae been on (ast (or lon%. t a%ain )o !st consider the /ol) #pirit leadin% 3Lk 2H@M. 4B6 The
is o( corse no !ore need to (ast (or atone!ent or sin since ess has (inished that work on the cross.
!idache Qwas discoered in 1BM5 at a librar) in ?onstantinople bt probabl) dates (ro! the (irst or second centr) A.+. S?hristians are told to let al!s sweat in their hands ntil the) know to who! the) are %iin% 31.& (ood o((ered to idols is (orbidden 3.@& people are reired to (ast be(ore baptis!, and baptis! !st be done in rnnin% water 3M.1-4& (astin% is reired on :ednesda)s and Frida)s bt prohibited on onda)s and Thrsda)s 3B.1& ?hristians are reired to pra) the Lord>s pra)er three ti!es a da) 3B.@& nbapti7ed persons are e8clded (ro! the Lord>s #pper, and pra)ers nknown in the $ew Testa!ent are %ien as a pattern (or celebratin% the Lord> spper 39.1-5& apostles are prohibited (ro! sta)in% in a cit) !ore than two da)s 311.5S prophets who speak in the #pirit cannot be tested or e8a!ined 311.MSsalation reires per(ection at the last ti!e 31.2> p M. Grde! :. #$steic Theolog$. An introduction to 'iblical !octrine. LeicesterH 'D*, p M. 496 The
T/E seenth edition o( the Apostle oseph A)o abalola *ower E8plosion holds at the Ori Oke Aan *ra)in% Grond, Osn #tate, between ne 22 and 2, 2009 with the the!e YZ[A new /eaen and a new Earth.YZ #ince the inception the reial has witnessed a lot o( !iracles and wonders with pro(se testi!onies. *rophet /e7ekiah Olade=i, chie( host o( the reial, said he is onl) tr)in% to (ollow the (ootsteps Apostle abalola, addin% Jone da), Apostle abalola isited Erio to in(or! the people that God had instrcted hi! to (ind a pra)in% %rond on a hill. JTo co!pl) with this instrction, Apostle abalola had to isit Olosnta /ill at 'kere-Ekiti, bt the place was not sitable. t a(ter lon% discssion with the people o( Erio, *a #i!on who had been isitin% Oke-Aan took it pon hi!sel( to lead the apostle and his entora%e to Oke Aan. JOn %ettin% to the !ontain, the apostle was pleased to see the eniron!ent. :hen the) ca!e down (ro! the hill, he decided to seek approal to se the hill as a pra)in% %rond which was %ranted b) the chie(s. *rophet /e7ekiah said his (irst isit to this !ontain was in 199B when he was lookin% nto the Lord (or a child a(ter si8 )ears o( !arria%e. /e was in a trance one da) Jwhen God spoke to !e that ' shold cli!b three !ontains in a da) o( which !ontain o( !erc) ErioEkiti was inclded.K ?ontinin%, he saidH YZ[' had alread) cli!bed two !ontains ot o( the three !ontains that God directed !e to cli!b. The last one was !ontain o( !erc), Erio. As ' started cli!bin% the !ontain, ' heard a oice sa)in%& YZ\' had (inall) answered )or pra)erYZ].YZ The (ollowin% )ear, his wi(e %ae birth to a boncin% bab) %irl. /e said it is the
sa!e !ontain that God directed hi! to (or his annal 21-da) (astin% and pra)er in the !onth o( anar). On the Mth da) o( the (irst (astin% season, he said God spoke to hi!, that he shold !ake /i! known to the whole world thro%h the call o( Apostle abalola on the !ontain 3OkeAan& that he shold or%anise a crsade at the !ontain in co!!e!oration and contination o( the !issionar) ean%elis! work o( Apostle abalola. YZ['n the ision,YZ Hezekiah explained âZ[it was reealed (rther that the reial shold be an annal eent and it shold be ta%%ed YZ\oseph A)o abalola *ower E8plosionYZ]. YZ['!!ediatel), ' woke p ' ordered !) pra)er warriors to or%anise a co!!ittee in collaboration with the athorit) o( ?A? Erio +istrict to co!!ence the crsade in obedience to God>s !essa%e and it was %ranted. /ence, the (irst edition o( the reial on ne 2M, 200@ with Q*ower as o( old> as its the!e. ead !ore atH httpHRRwww.an%ardn%r.co!R2009R0Rbabalola-power-e8plosion-holds-=ne-22R OSE=) Aod to mankind meant to faci%itate reco%%ection and transmission of know%ed#e. )uman memory howe*er, has been found to be fa%%ib%e due to the state of depra*ity of man ri#ht from the >arden of Eden, and is moreo*er, unre%iab%e in the instance of mans mora%ity. :acts therefore committed to mere%y human memory, o*er time, is sub"ect to distortions and factua% inaccuracy. &hrou#h this hi#h%y informed, informati*e and historica% missi*e, oseph Ayo Baba%o%a 0irac%e $entre )istorica% =erspecti*eC, Dr. Abi O%owe becomes another icon in the history of $hrist Aposto%ic $hurch, who has he%ped to trap down factua% history of the back#round of this our #reat and formidab%e mission, whose tap-root is in the hea*en%ies, for first-hand accessibi%ity to our posterity, in a manner to fina%%y defeat distortions of undocumented, ora% transmission. Summari%y, the sub"ect matter of this first-hand research and study effort ma"ority re*o%*es round three '3( %andmarks, epoch-makin# destinies, *i 1. &he %ife and ca%% of the *ery re*ered Aposto%ic 0issioner and outstandin# setmanC, Apost%e oseph Ayo Baba%o%a, throu#h whose specific ca%%, at a specific p%ace, and at a specific time in history, the fast #rowin# and now wor%dwide mission $hrist Aposto%ic $hurch, was birthed. &his concise history is compressed in the introductory part of this $hristian %iterary work. 9. :rom chapter one, we be#in to read about the *ery *isionary and focused structura%, %and-marker, =astor !saiah O%ufayobi O#unbomehin, who became the di*ine too%, and di*ine%y appointed to secure, de*e%op and commemorate Apost%e Ayo Baba%o%as p%ace of ca%%, and 3. 5e wi%% a%so read much about the *ery consecrated SinaiC of the 0issionarys 'Apost%e Ayo Baba%o%a( p%ace of ca%%, !ke"i-Arake"i 'which now con*er#es the products of the ca%% and mission of the Apost%e(, its history and de*e%opment. &he *ery spot where an indi*idua% encounters >od in an unusua% way ceases to be ordinary, but consecrated, especia%%y, when it is pro*ed that the spot is noted for miracu%ous e*ents that are %ife-turnin# in the %i*es of different peop%e at different times. &he !ke"i-Arake"i oseph Ayo Baba%o%a 0irac%e $entre attained this status from the *ery moment this #reat Apost%e heard the ca%% of >od on it, and the Ariran stream at the b%essin# of the man of >od, recei*ed miracu%ous unction for the hea%in# and de%i*erance of many by the power of >od. A chronic%e of hea%in# and de%i*erance testimonies wrou#ht by >od throu#h this consecrated stream, as researched and written by
Dr. Abi O%owe in this book, is found in the fourth chapter. &he de*e%opment and commemoration of !ke"i-Arake"i therefore, were not initiated throu#h an indi*idua%s un#uided ea%. !t arose from se*era% prophecies and re*e%oations #i*en throu#h different #reat men of >od, 'ri#ht from our #reat $hrist Aposto%ic patriarch, Ayo Baba%o%a himse%f(, of di*ine intention to ha*e the ho%y #round commemorated to con*er#e the peop%e of >od for ho%y assemb%ies. =astor !saiah O#unbomehin, who cau#ht the *ision and rose to spearhead the de*e%opment and commemoration, was thus a di*ine too% in the hand of >od to fu%fi%% his destiny and mission thus. =astor O#unbomehins humb%e back#round, miracu%ous de%i*erance and con*ersion, as we%% as his destined ca%% as a $hrist $rusader and E*an#e%ist, affirm him as a man of destiny, whose %ife, %ike 0oses burnin# bush,C cannot be consumed by the se*era% fiery storms of %ife that ha*e come his way. &his messa#e is c%ear%y depicted o*er the pa#es of this re*ea%in# book. &his book #i*es #reat tributes a%so to the %ate =astor . B. Oro#un for he %aid the foundation stone of the =ower )ouse when he was the >enera% Superintendent, and opened it in 12F when he was the =resident of $A$. &he %eadin# ro%e p%ayed by =astor E. ). L. O%usheye, our current =resident of $A$ in de*e%opin# this $amp and n estab%ishin# the oseph Ayo Baba%o%a 8ni*ersity 'AB8( is a%so specia%%y reco#nied. &he phi%anthropic ro%e of the Ake"i of !ke"i-Arake"i, and the *ery #enerous #esture of the !ke"i-Arake"i $ommunity, and the keen interest shown by other peop%e in de*e%opin# the spot of the ca%% of Apost%e oseph Ayo Baba%o%a were not %eft out. &his 11F-pa#ed research effort, distributed o*er G chapters, is %aced with pictoria%, #raphica% and numerica% statistics which e*idence the factua%ity of the recordin#s in the book. :irst-hand information contained o*er the pa#es ascertain *erifiabi%ity of the history re%ated, as first-hand information has been handed o*er from the *ery witnesses who were present durin# the %ife-time of the ma"or #od%y characters and e*ents ta%ked about in the book, many of whom are sti%% present and a%i*e at the time of the Authors research. &he book is *o%ume-effecti*e, not too brief as to offer insufficient information that %ea*es a %ot of Huestions in the mind of the reader, and not too *o%uminous as to bore the reader into abandonin# it without readin# throu#h. &he %an#ua#e as we%% is Huite accessib%e to a%% %e*e%s of %iterate readership, for the Author, thou#h an erudite Doctor of =hi%osophy, has adopted simp%e, easy to understand diction. !n a%%, oseph Ayo Baba%o%a 0irac%e $entre )istorica% =erspecti*eC is a must-readC and a must-ha*eC for a%% $hristians, especia%%y $hrist Aposto%ics who wi%% be we%% informed about the back#round of this our #reat 0ission, and who wi%% preser*e the know%ed#e for our posterity.
Thank )o er) !ch and !a) the God o( oseph A)o abalola bless )o reall) %ood in ess> na!e 3A!en.
