The SCOAN Choir began by acknowledging God’s power and uniqueness. “You are God all by Yourself/Forever You are the same/There is none like You,” so declared the inspired lyrics. Other songs of worship followed, including the iconic Prophet TB Joshua-composed “Spirit Pray Through Me”, and The Synagogue soon soaked in the Spirit as God performed wonders among the congregation.
Prophet TB Joshua began his sermon with John 6:63 (NIV): “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.” Our lives have to depend on the Word of God and we need to meditate on it constantly, thanking God every waking moment, he said. Only success that comes from God, he added, brings peace of mind (John 14:27). He therefore urged congregants to live as true Christians by refusing to be derailed by satan’s antics while ensuring to cultivate the habit of saying “Thank You, Jesus!” for even the so-called ordinary things. Learning to show gratitude for ‘small’ things, he insisted, is sure to command God’s attention always and to guarantee even ‘bigger’ blessings. “Faith is manifested in the small things in our daily lives,” the man of God noted.
Prophet TB Joshua also spoke on the need to show love to all and sundry as we give generously of our time and resources. “The name of God is Love,” he said, even as he stated that “no matter how great your faith, without love it is zero.” Describing prayer, especially the prayer of acknowledgement and gratitude, as a source of protection for the Christian, he discouraged wasting time on responding to scornful talk from those who seek to mock God’s work in our lives. He therefore asked congregants to fill their hearts with the prayer of gratitude so that they can be filled with divine fire. In his words: “You will be pregnant of Jesus and you will have so much to give. Anytime you talk, fire comes out, power comes out. Begin to cover yourself with the Blood of Jesus – “Thank You, Jesus” in your heart, in your spirit.”
On that note, Prophet Chris urged worshippers to BE STILL EVEN IN THE STORM. He began the message by noting the captivating power of biblical stories, before anchoring his sermon on the inability of many of the sojourning Israelites’ to reach the Promised Land, as recorded in Numbers 13 and 14. Prophet Chris likened the situation of many Christians today to the Israelites’ plight in ancient times, as they tend to give up on the brink of their breakthrough due to the storms of life. He read from Mark 4:35-40 and drew three lessons from the passage on how to stay in the faith.
One, we must not “misinterpret God’s silence as rejection” since he may be using our challenges to build us. Two, we must not assess our situation sentimentally and never attempt to cut corners when it comes to getting spiritual blessings. Three, we must not “act or react under tension and pressure” but instead “learn to pause and listen to what the Holy Spirit” is saying about our situation. Prophet Chris concluded with these words of encouragement: “As true members of the household of faith, even when everything around us is unquiet, we remain calm and determined because our strength, our courage, our inspiration is derived from God Almighty.”
TESTIMONIES
IJEOMA’S STOMACH PAINS NOW A THING OF THE PAST
A fortnight ago, during the Mass Prayer session of The SCOAN Live Sunday Service, the Spirit of the Lord moved mightily in the midst of congregants as they poured out their petitions before the Lord. Diverse ailments were expelled from the bodies of God’s children as they vomited the evil substances in their systems. One of such people was Mrs Ijeoma Obiabuchi, who “for a very long time” had been having “stomach trouble.” Any time she ate, she would start to feel biting pains in her stomach, making her life miserable. Not knowing what the problem was, Ijeoma had visited numerous pharmacies in search of drugs. Eventually, a doctor diagnosed her with a swollen right ovary, a condition which meant that she would experience occasional bleeding. Surgery was suggested. Ijeoma objected to the surgery and came to ‘The Arena of Liberty’. As the prayers carried on, she began vomiting. Since then, she has been perfectly healed. Last week, during her testimony, she advised people to exercise faith in God’s power.
20 YEARS OF ARTHRITIS, HERNIA AND SWOLLEN LEGS GONE!
For 20 years, 59-year-old South African Miss Chrismare Groenewald had suffered from difficulty in walking from arthritis, as well as hernia and swollen legs due to poor blood circulation. Also suffering from acid reflux, Chrismare faced excruciating pain both night and day. She took numerous drugs and visited several hospitals but she never experienced relief; instead, her condition worsened. No longer willing to submit herself to the power of the enemy, Chrismare found her way to God’s presence when she presented herself two weeks ago at The SCOAN. After listening to Chrismare, the woman of God Prophetess Yinka cast out the demons behind Chrismare’s problems. In her testimony last Sunday, Chrismare told of the relief she had immediately felt after the woman of God laid an anointed hand on her in the mighty name of Jesus. “It was like everything was melting away,” she told the church. “I was completely healed after vomiting all the poisonous stuff,” she added. She advised people to have faith in God’s power.
BLEEDING ENDS AFTER PROPHECY
“There is a woman there – she is bleeding. As I am talking, she is bleeding.” Those were the words of Prophet TB Joshua as he prophesied about the case of a bleeding woman during the Mass Prayer session two Sundays ago. With that prophecy had come healing for the woman in question, Mrs Martha Jackson, a Ghanaian. Last week, Martha returned to church with her husband to testify of the Lord’s healing power in her life. She said doctors had placed her on a four-hourly medication that had failed to cure her. They also told her she needed to have her womb removed. In faith, she had come to The SCOAN and, to the glory of God, she received her instant healing. No longer will she be embarrassed by her condition and no longer will she feel dizzy due to blood loss. “Have faith in God; there is nothing He cannot do,” she advised the church. Martha’s husband thanked God for healing his wife and advised people to keep on believing in God.
NO LONGER A VICTIM OF DIFFICULTY IN WALKING AND SLEEP APNEA
Mrs Joy Calvie had come to The SCOAN all the way from France. For 11 years, she had the problem of difficulty in walking due to a foot fracture. She also had the problems of sleep apnea, arthritis, gastritis, poor vision, hearing problem and evil attacks. For her difficulty in walking, Joy had a pair of crutches and for her three-year sleep apnea, she had a breathing machine, which helped to restart her heart at least 42 times an hour during sleep. In their bid to cure Joy’s foot fracture, doctors had inserted two screws in the ailing foot. However, one of the screws broke and doctors suggested that she have another surgery by December. Instead of surgery, Joy chose to take her case to God. After prayers in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Prophetess Yinka declared Joy cured from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet. Moments later, Joy rose to her feet and walked without her crutches for the first time in years. During the 54-year-old’s testimony last Sunday, she glorified God for her healing and told of the challenges she had faced while her ailments lasted. “All my weight was going to one side,” she told the church. She also said she visited several specialists without finding a solution. Demonstrating her perfect healing to the glory of God, Joy said, “I know now that our Living God is still alive today, tomorrow and forever.” She advised people not to lose hope and to persist in seeking divine healing. Joy’s daughter, Cynthia, told of the ease that she and her mother had enjoyed as they made their way to The SCOAN’s Prayer Line two weeks ago, even as she thanked God for repelling the spirit of death from her mother.
“BEHOLD, MY LEG WAS RESTORED BACK TO LIFE!”
Four months ago, 48-year-old trader Mrs Cordelia Dokpesi had an accident in which she fractured her tibia and fibula, two major bones in the leg. Consequently, she could not walk without using a crutch. Her business also suffered as she could not do anything for herself and had to rely on family and neighbours. Certain about God’s healing power, Cordelia had come to The SCOAN two weeks ago. After prayers in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Prophet Racine pronounced healing on Cordelia and commanded her to rise and walk. On Sunday, Cordelia returned to church to testify about God’s power. She told of the many places she had been in search of a solution, until her brother facilitated her trip to The SCOAN. Cordelia said of the effect of the prayer, “Instantly, there was a moving sensation on that leg…. Behold, my leg was restored back to life!” She urged congregants to accept that there is no limit to God’s power.
A DOUBLE DOSE FOR MRS GERTRUDE UNAH
From Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, 58-year-old Mrs Gertrude Unah had visited The SCOAN to attend The Living Water Service of 28 September 2019. She had been seeking healing for the loss of hearing in her right ear following an armed robbery attack on her way home from work one evening. After praying on The SCOAN Altar, she ministered the water in her right ear and it instantly regained the power of hearing. Testifying on Sunday, Gertrude said the right ear deafness had made communication difficult for her. She also told of a previous healing she had received five years ago while praying along with Prophet TB Joshua on Emmanuel TV. She said she was healed of lumbar spondylosis after touching the screen and that her healing became perfect after Prophet TB Joshua appeared in her dream and generously ministered the New Morning Water on her back. Gertrude glorified God’s name for cancelling doctors’ prediction that she would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. Gertrude was accompanied to church by her husband and two sons. She advised the church, “There is nothing the Lord cannot do.”
“TODAY I AM THE HAPPIEST LADY ON EARTH,” SAYS 20-YEAR-OLD HEALED OF BED-WETTING
“There is a woman there – you used to bed-wet. You bed-wet here even yesterday. Please come out.” With that word of prophecy had come an end to the affliction of bed-wetting that had tormented the life of 20-year-old Miss Christianah Alamu, who had promptly identified herself in church two Sundays ago. Last Sunday, Christianah told the church of how the shame of bed-wetting had kept her isolated from friends and got in the way of her plans to go to university. She told of her parents’ efforts to have her cured at herbalists’ homes. She said one herbalist had her eat an egg boiled in her own urine while another one had her eat pounded yam with leaves and no water. “It was like adding to my problems,” she said. Having bed-wet all her life without finding a cure, Christianah had visited The SCOAN with her grandmother. And her case did not escape God’s attention! She advised people to accept Jesus as their Lord and personal Saviour.
DESTINY RESTORED AS MATTHEW’S BASKETBALL CAREER IS REVIVED AFTER DELIVERANCE
His name is Matthew Bingaya and he has all the physical qualities and talent one might expect of a great basketball player. In fact, Matthew did begin a professional basketball career while in college in the USA. Perhaps because he was destined to make a name for himself via the sport, Matthew had easily excelled in the sport while in college. But the friends, drugs and fame soon got to his head. In no time, he started to disrespect his mum and other family members. Moreover, his grades began to drop as he spent most of his time drinking, partying and doing drugs. When he had chosen to go to college, he had failed to inform his mother; neither did he inform her when he dropped out of college as his addiction to drugs derailed him. Refusing to give up on her son, however, Matthew’s mother did her best to make him come to The SCOAN for deliverance prayers two weeks ago. “It felt like I was being pulled out of an ocean,” Matthew said of how he had felt when Prophetess Yinka took his hand in prayers after counselling him. Gone with the wind now is Matthew’s desire for nicotine or any other drug. As a reflection of God’s power in Matthew’s life since his deliverance, he said he has now received a message from a coach asking him if he would like to resume his basketball career. Matthew’s mother, Cynthia, told of her brush with school authorities in her bid to keep her son focused on his grades rather than basketball. She also told of the positive transformation in her son’s life since his deliverance. Matthew advised people to trust God, even as he urged the youths to avoid drugs. His mother advised parents not to give up on their children, even as she advised coaches to let their wards move close to God.
OVARIAN CYSTS VANISH AFTER WORDS OF PROPHECY
“You cannot go for this surgery…. After the prayer, you will see the clear picture.” Those had been the words of prophecy for the Tanzanian Mrs Gillian Siara as Prophet TB Joshua ministered during the Mass Prayer session a few months ago. She had come for breakthrough prayers then but the Spirit of God had located her on the surgery matter. For three years, Gillian had been having bloating and pain in her stomach but doctors had been unable to diagnose it. After the prophecies, however, she returned home and doctors later found that she had ovarian cysts. They told her that her womb had to be removed, hence the words of prophecy from Prophet TB Joshua. To the glory of God, Gillian avoided the surgery and later tests proved that the ovarian cysts had disappeared! She advised people to patiently wait on the words of prophecy from God’s servant.