Now that the elections are over, I am hearing a more resounding voice in the spirit saying, God is changing the guard in the Nigerian Church. God is changing the guard indeed in the body of Christ worldwide. This I cannot be quiet about!
The best description for my state of mind in the last two decades of my Christian life is best expressed through the words of the legendary artist Leonardo Da Vinci:
“I AWOKE, ONLY TO SEE THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD IS STILL ASLEEP.”
I am so sensitive about using this quotation, because I am sure some people might misunderstand it as pride. Please in the name of God let’s forget about such side thoughts and focus on the message.
When I consider the teachings, doctrines and what happens generally in the body of Christ, here in Europe, America and in Africa, I sometimes feel that I am living in my own reality. Either the whole world is getting it wrong or I am just running crazy.
At first I decided to keep quiet, after all who am I? This small boy from Idomila village (Ogun State). A place that is not even on the map of my state, not to mention my country. No way! I tell myself: “keep quiet, you can’t know more than those who are ahead of you, you can’t know more than your elders”. Forgetting that the young shall grow. It is a law of Life.
Eventually, I decided that in spite of my silence I would demonstrate and reproduce in reality the picture of the church that I saw inside my spirit. Hence over 20 years ago, I stepped out in faith from leading a small group of African students in the university. I did this against the contemporary mindset of the day. The mindset of thinking that a black man in Europe can only lead a black church.
In the process a revolution was started. Today what was impossible is made possible and the rest is history. Presently our church in Kiev attracts 25,000 people, 99 percent of who are Caucasians. The Embassy of God is not merely a cross-cultural church, many other things that are commonplace here in the Embassy are found to be unique, in comparison to other places in the world.
This accomplishment made me realise that, perhaps I am in the same shoes as Leonardo Da Vinci? I awoke, and found that my brethren in the body of Christ are still fast asleep in the slumber of religion.
Another vindication I had is the fact that I believed the Christian message and the gospel of the kingdom is good enough to fix the world’s problems. For this reason I decided to test my convictions by traveling to the United States of America, proclaiming this message.
Within two years of me going to America, by the grace of God, I was able to take this message of the kingdom to the United Nations on two occasions. That same message gave me access to the United States Senate. I spoke at the Bill Clinton Foundation, the Japanese’s Parliament and even the Israeli Knesset.
Brethren, you won’t believe what I discovered! I found out that in every place, people listened to this message with full attention and total bewilderment. The question that I kept on hearing was: “why are other Christian ministers not doing the same thing?” That made me think: could it be God is trying to tell us that there is a shift taking place in the body of Christ, especially in the way we run the church?
I have always been appalled by the variation of the gospel of prosperity I hear preached in our charismatic churches, which basically border on sowing and reaping, giving and receiving. I thought there must be a different format to that message.
After I finished reading Donald Trump’s book in 2005, I discovered the secret of real prosperity in the church; which is to teach God’s people principles of economic empowerment. I made up my mind that not only would I become a millionaire, but that I would also raise up millionaires from members of my church. Over a period of three years we were able to raise 200 millionaires (USD) from our local church.
But alas, I am afraid we could be busy preaching it so much that we miss our times and season. The events surrounding the Nigerian elections are a clear enough indication and clarion call to the 7000 remnants who are yet to bow their knees to Baal, to arise and come out of the wilderness to take charge of the guard that would lead their Nations and church to the promise land.
There are many other areas of my life and ministry where the words of Leonardo Da Vinci have proven true. For example, I wondered why nobody that I knew had written a thousand books. This goal to me seems so easy. Presently, by the grace of God, I have written over 200 books in Russian language.
All these things, I discovered, are what people in the contemporary Christian church would normally think are impossible.
Despite the above-mentioned achievements amongst others, initially I was still not ready to challenge the status quo in the body of Christ. At that stage I also had my own share of trials, troubles and persecution in Ukraine under the former Soviet Union.
I continued in this state of indecisiveness and purported silence until I came across some great words from Martin Luther King Jr. that says:
“OUR LIVES BEGIN TO END THE DAY WE BECOME SILENT ABOUT THINGS THAT MATTER.”
These words motivated me and partially explains why I decided to delve into the affairs of my beloved country. In my opinion, Nigeria matters! The body of Christ matters!!
As in the words of Leonardo Da Vinci, I felt in my spirit that, “I awoke, only to see that the rest of the world was still asleep.”
These feelings intensified with regard to my nation Nigeria, especially the days and months leading up to the general elections. I tried to call up friends and make them see the dawn that was about to descend on our nation, but all my pleas and cries seemed to fall on deaf ears. Most people I know had their arguments and reasons why they had to pitch their tent with the incumbent president then.
I was left with no option, but to take to my Facebook page to declare what I know to be true. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” – Martin Luther king Jr.
Now that the elections are over, I am hearing a more resounding voice in the spirit saying, God is changing the guard in the Nigerian Church. God is changing the guard indeed in the body of Christ worldwide. This I cannot be quiet about!
“Of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command.” – 1 Chronicles 12:32.
There have been many messages in the body of Christ about the sons of Issachar who understand the times and know what Israel ought to do. It presents an excellent message topic for preachers.
But alas, I am afraid we could be busy preaching it so much that we miss our times and season. The events surrounding the Nigerian elections are a clear enough indication and clarion call to the 7000 remnants who are yet to bow their knees to Baal, to arise and come out of the wilderness to take charge of the guard that would lead their Nations and church to the promise land.
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.” – Dan 2:20-22.
Sunday Adelaja is a Nigeria born leader, transformation strategist, pastor and innovator. He is based in Kiev, Ukraine. He can be contacted at sundayadelajablog@gmail.com.
