It was Christmas Eve 2023 and congregants very much understood the significance of the service. Taking advantage of the Blood that was shed on the Cross Of Calvary, they acknowledged their transgressions and asked for divine forgiveness. The choristers led the people to sing TB Joshua’s composition: “Lord, We Thank/Thank You, Lord/For Every Moment Of Your Attention/Thank You For The Life You Give!” They besought the God that reigns on high, asking for His Spirit to lighten the Word in their hearts and to pray through them. And because God Almighty honours His name always, the atmosphere inside The SCOAN Auditorium soon became charged for healing, deliverance and breakthrough for the ultimate salvation of the people’s souls.
Expectedly, the day’s sermon was about Christmas, with Evangelist Chisom speaking on “The Essence Of Christ’s Birth”. Reading from 1 John 4:8-12 for his proof text, he right away identified the Christ that Christians are to celebrate at Christmas: “the One that the Spirit of God reveals to us.” He also listed three promises that derived from Christ’s birth. First is the glorious light to dispel all shades of darkness in our lives. Second is the glorious increase and complete joy that the birth brings. Third is the glorious liberty and enlargement that comes with it.
In this light, the preacher charged congregants to make Christmas more of a time for sober reflection on our unworthy past and the benefits of Christmas – and less about wanton merrymaking. He stressed the need to show love, forgiveness, kindness and compassion to neighbours (Matthew 6:14-15; John 13:34), and to do so in humility, simplicity and cheerfulness (Romans 12:8). There is no love that does not express itself in giving, the evangelist noted. Echoing the incredibly perceptive words of Prophet TB Joshua he said, “The beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are, but on how happy others can be because of you.” He therefore cautioned the people on the tendency to criticise instead of doing “good to change the bad you see.”
As he rounded off the message, Evangelist Chisom further quoted God’s servant Prophet TB Joshua: “We will begin to succeed with our lives when the hurt and problems of others matter to us.” His final words to congregants supped up the essence of Christ’s birth: “Let us act love, do love and follow in the light of love. Let love lead!”
God’s Mighty Moves On Christmas Eve!
Once she joined congregants on Christmas Eve, Pastor Evelyn Joshua pronounced upon them: “May the joy of this season bring you good tidings, in the name of Jesus!” Regarding showing love at Christmas, she added: “We must allow this love to radiate from us to meet the needs of others.”
At the Prayer Line the woman of God assured the people, “Christ will reveal Himself to you today.” She added, “All that seems impossible before you—the mountains before you—will be levelled, in the name of Jesus Christ!”
People with faith in their hearts came to God’s house to seek solutions to their issues, such as difficulty in walking, asthma, fractures, difficulty in breathing, hernia, body injury, eye problems, back pain, swollen body, and pneumonia.
Other people came with challenges such as irritable bowel movement, liver/kidney cysts, leg ulcers, insomnia, heart failure, drug addiction and mental disorder, etc. And the power of God was more than sufficient to expel the demons behind those sources of torment for the people.
Also not excluded from God’s mercy were women who had come with issues such as breast cancer, tubal blockage and multiple fibroids. For those already pregnant, grace did not take a holiday!
Joining the leader of The SCOAN were the evangelists, who also stood in the believer’s authority to cast out all negative presences in the lives of the people.
Their Day Of Encounter With Jesus Christ
“More anointing to your life, way, business, family, in the name of Jesus!” Pastor Evelyn Joshua cued in as the choristers paused for the Mass Prayer session. She told the people to proclaim: “Today is my day of encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ!”
To that end, she prayed for congregants: “As you encounter Jesus Christ in your life today, your old ways of doing things will be gone, in Jesus’ name! As you encounter the Lord Jesus Christ today, your old ways of lying, covetousness, immorality will be gone! Be delivered from all your old ways of doing things, in the name of Jesus Christ! May the promises of God for your life, children remain forever, in the name of Jesus Christ. Let there be light in your life, in the name of Jesus Christ! Be healed, in the name of Jesus Christ! Be freed, in the name of Jesus Christ!”
Evangelist Ope told congregants to pray: “Every spirit of calamity waiting for me—anywhere you are: Out!”
Evangelist James told congregants: “Every contrary spirit causing you pain, shame, embarrassment—command it out, in the name of Jesus! That ancestral spirit, family idol—command them out, in the name of Jesus Christ!”
Evangelist Chisom told congregants to pray: “You spirit, the cause of my sickness, disease—anywhere you are: Out, in the name of Jesus! You disease—anywhere you are, your time is up. I command you: Out!”
Evangelist Joseph told congregants to declare: “You spirit against my progress, causing me limitation—anywhere you are, I command you: Out! You hindrance to my breakthrough, success—give way!”
To viewers all over the world, Pastor Evelyn Joshua said: “Whatever may be your circumstances—begin to release yourself, in the name of Jesus Christ!” She prayed for them: “Be set free from entanglement, burden, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!” She also urged them to declare: “I am healed! I am freed! I am saved! I am delivered because the Word of God says so! I am blessed! I am victorious!”
In a Mass Prayer video, Prophet TB Joshua declared: “Every spirit of destruction, stealing, killing—in the name of Jesus, fetch them! Every spirit that kills your career, that kills your business, every spirit that destroys your business, that destroys your career—you evil spirit—out, in the name of Jesus! Every spirit that is trying to twist your career—I command it out, in the name of Jesus! Spirit of nightmares—out, in the name of Jesus!”
Prophet TB Joshua further prayed for the people in the Mass Prayer video: “Your organs—be freed from sickness, infirmity! Jesus’ healing hand is upon you! Be delivered! Whatever hinders your deliverance, healing, blessing—be it unforgiveness, anger, jealousy, envy—give way, in the name of Jesus! Unforgiveness, unbelief, doubt—give way, in the name of Jesus! In the name of Jesus, receive your healing! Receive your deliverance! Receive your freedom!”
Testimonies
Healed Of Difficulty In Walking, Academic Brilliance Restored!
On December 17, 2023, Chinedum sat for prayer in The Arena Of Liberty over the problem of difficulty in walking. He had been brought to the church by his father, Emezie. Based in South Africa, they had come to seek God’s help after exhausting all medical options. During their testimony a week later, it transpired that the 19-year-old’s problem had started when he was just six years old. According to Emezie, Chinedum had been injured in school and his condition had failed to improve despite treatments over the years. “I even took him to bonesetters in Nigeria, but he seemed to be going from bad to worse; in fact, his academic performance dropped drastically,” Emezie said. However, upon being introduced to Emmanuel TV, Chinedum started to follow the channel keenly and soon became quite prayerful. “His grades improved tremendously, to my amazement,” Emezie added. Proud of his son’s achievements, he excitedly read out the letters of commendation sent to his son by school authorities. As for Chinedum’s issues with his legs and right arm, the power of God Almighty took control as Pastor Evelyn Joshua prayed for him. “Don’t give up on God,” Chinedum advised others as he demonstrated his perfect healing in Jesus’ name. Emezie shared his own testimony. “On September 29, 2023, I was involved in a ghastly motoring accident on the freeway as I drove out of Johannesburg,” he told the church. Although the borrowed salon car tumbled several times and became wrecked, Emezie survived without a scratch and his goods, being vehicle spare parts, remained in perfect condition. “I told surprised onlookers that nothing else saved me but the God of Prophet TB Joshua,” he ended, while others to have faith in God.
Addictions Of Sand-eating, Smoking And Drinking, Husband Also Stops Stooling Blood!
It was addiction to eating sand that had brought Joy to the presence of the Lord on October 8, 2023. For her husband, Wilson, it was the problem of stooling blood. She returned to church for her testimony on Christmas Eve 2023. “I started eating sand 20 years ago, during my first pregnancy; before then I used to dream of swimming in the river and idols used to appear in those dreams,” she began. Joy recalled that her sand-eating addiction had worsened six years after the birth of the child. “I used to eat black soil initially but soon graduated to sharp sand,” she said. However, Joy managed to hide the habit from her husband, although her children knew about it. The spirit behind the problem started to affect Joy’s marriage. “I easily got angry and I quarreled frequently with my husband,” she said. Since her deliverance, however, Joy has broken ties with the idols of her ancestors and she no longer desires to eat sand. “Run to God for solutions to your problems,” she advised others. Sharing his own testimony, Wilson said: “I had the problem of stooling blood due to piles.” He was also a chain smoker and reckless drinker. “I was 14 years old when I started smoking and drinking,” he confessed. In faith, man and wife had made their way to The Arena Of Liberty and God’s Spirit had taken control. Joy had vomited the evil deposits in her system and a divine force had ejected the demon in Wilson’s life. Wilson advised people to seek God and to stay away from smoking.
And Mark Finally Meets Jesus Christ!
On December 17, 2023, the demon in Mark met its waterloo as an evangelist commanded fire upon it in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Not surprisingly, the demon had boasted about its invincibility while the deliverance session was going on. Mark’s problems had started when he engaged in a ritual digging alongside some friends. From then on, he became a troublemaker—a criminal, in fact. “I ended up in prison but when I got out I remained the same; I started looking for charms for protection,” he told the world. Mark said that he had a terrible driving accident after a confrontation with a woman he suspected to be evil. It was marriage, however, that brought Mark to the feet of Jesus Christ. “My wife told me about The SCOAN and the rest is history,” Mark said with gratitude. He advised others to quit crime and to seek God in a living church.
Rescued From Demons Of His Father’s Homestead!
While it was boasting about its atrocities in Samuel‘s life, the demon went back down memory lane to the year 1989, when it began attacking his finances. All the confession came out on December 17, 2023. The day before Christmas, Samuel told the story by himself. He began by saying, “I used to offer sacrifice to the idols of my father’s house but I later stopped and destroyed all of them. He said he used to have dreams in which airplanes left him behind. “I desperately wanted to travel abroad but I kept failing,” he continued. Samuel’s children were badly affected, as their education was difficult. “I used to see dead people in my dreams and I fought masquerades and others there as well,” he said. Since his deliverance, however, Samuel has become a spiritually free person. “Whatever your problem may be, run to God,” he told the church.
Yemi Breaks Free From Marine Bondage!
On December 24, 2023, during her testimony, Yemi went back to 13 years ago. “I used to see a man come to me in the dream and I also used to find myself under the sea, interacting with people speaking strange languages,” she started. Yemi said that the situation brought illness and strange behavior to her life. “I wasn’t interested in the things that my peers liked; in fact, I struggled in school,” she continued. On finding out about Emmanuel TV, Yemi built up her faith by following the station. Eventually, she made her way to church and received her deliverance. For advice, she asked others to seek God.
Breakthrough Upon Breakthrough For Formerly Stagnant Engineer!
Before he came to The SCOAN in 2016, Tom, a Ghanaian engineer, had been facing stagnation. “For so long I depended on my wife for sustenance,” he began by telling the church. He had tried so hard but had not made any headway. On returning home, Tom and his wife had continued ministering the Anointing Water prayerfully. And they started experiencing breakthrough upon breakthrough! Today, Tom holds a confirmed position at a technical university where he is high on the hierarchy. He advised people to trust in God, who alone can elevate them. Tom’s wife, Monica, thanked God for blessing them with the good things of life, including a car and a house. “God is faithful; trust in Him,” she advised others.
