Dunamis

The white garment prophets suddenly stormed into the area

They were unheralded and uninvited

They were forty in number

All wearing prayer garment of different colour combinations

The ladies among them wore goblin looking hats of all shapes and sizes

Some of them wore red clothes

Others wore yellow

Some combined blue and white

Some wore white only

They were like the band of prophet Samuel told Saul he would meet after anointing him

The prophets bellowed as loud as they could

They said there was a dark cloud over that street

Every household had been contracted by the evil one to lose a member within the next two years

They insisted that unless the street come to their church to do certain things

The contract would stand

They rebuked the activities of witchcraft and sorcery

They talked about businesses and marriages

They prophesied about children and infant mortality

They spent all of three hours

Some people believed them and quickly went to them to seek clarification and instructions

Others guffawed and mocked them

They did certain things for some people on the spot

They used salt, water, oil, candle, all sorts

It was as fetish and as distant to Christianity as one can imagine

It was equally spiritual in a way

The visitor from America observed the scene with joy

He had never experienced African spirituality before

He had studied it briefly in the seminary

He had heard also about voodoo and its close relationship with some church services in certain African countries

But what he was witnessing was a rare moment

He was a Baptist missionary, sent to Africa on a yearlong mission work

He was paying a visit to friend of his who lived on the street

His friend was also his classmate in the seminary

He chose to do his missionary project in Africa in part because of his friend

He watched closely as the uniformed spiritualist displayed uninhibited

They swayed, rocked and danced in the middle of the street

It was quite a spectacle

When his friend came to the balcony to join him

They talked about it

His friend told him they were charlatans, some of them could even be demonic

His friend reminded him of the soothsayer Apostle Paul met on his missionary journey

His friend told him the white garment people have the same demons operating in their spirituality

“Whenever they see a vision or tell a prophesy, it usually comes to pass but the scripture had warned us that we should test all spirits because not all spirits com from God! Angels of darkness often appear as angels of light to the less discerning”

He agreed with his friend

Their (himself and his friend) beliefs as Christians was far from what he was witnessing

They believed the Bible is the completion of all prophesies and speaking in tongues/other gifts of the spirit had ceased with the apostles.

There was only one sure word of prophesy, “the more sure word” according to Peter

This was the Bible!

The weekend after the whole white garment prophets’ invasion saga

A prominent man in the street was burying his Father in the village and friends and well wishers were all invited

Seven buses were rented to convey people to the East for the occasion

They took off very early in the morning

By 4pm that same day

The news came to the street on the wings of the "Kowee"

( A mysterious bad news bearing bird)

The bus conveying people from the neighborhood had crashed

It was a fatal crash and everyone died including the driver

The news shocked him to the marrow

He remembered the prophecy of the white garment people

The one his friend dismissed out of hand

It seemed it had come to pass

When his friend returned home that night, he was too stunned to talk

Virtually every house in the neighborhood lost at least one person

Some lost as many as three members of their family

Only one house was spared

The bungalow was owned by a couple whose children were far away in school

They had three daughters and two sons

The wife would have gone with the others for the party but the husband was ill

That was how the entire household escaped death

It was a tough week for that community

Death, curse and darkness hung over the community like a cloud

Two weeks later the white garment prophets were back

They went directly to the bungalow and started their jingoism

People paid attention this time

They announced that the inhabitants of that bungalow should beware

Anytime they wanted to celebrate a party

They should do it quietly

Death might have missed them this time around

But death is still lurking, waiting to turn their day of joy to a day of sorrow

The couple paid attention

They asked the prophets if there was anything, they could do to avert the danger

They were told only to abide by the warning

The prophets left!

Four years later

The second daughter in the family announced her intention to get married

The family had a meeting

They picked a date for her to bring her husband

The husband was from a very rich family

The plan was for them to get married and relocate abroad

She was working at a bank at the time

The husband’s family were determined to throw a big party

The bride’s family begged them

"Please, we have been warned not to make any noise"

The bride wanted a big party, she didn’t want her day of joy to be celebrated like a day of sorrow

There had been too much gloom and doom in their community since the incident

It was high time they throw a bash

Turn the atmosphere around with glorious celebrations

The bride’s mother ran to the white garment prophet’s church

"What can we do to avert disaster?"

The prophets said “obedience is better than sacrifice”

The bride’s mother called her daughter

"Please, let us obey!"

Daughter said "No!"

The other siblings said "No!"

The Father said "No!"

The matter was taken right out of her hands

To keep her mind at peace

The family decided to invite a Pastor to come and pray for the household before the occasion

He and his friend had graduated from the seminary by this time

They still live in the community

His friend was an associate pastor at a nearby Baptist church

He was the music director

The "bride to be" approached them

She explained what was going on with her family and made her request

The family would like the two of them to come and pray with them

Just to put their mother’s mind at rest

Early the next morning, they paid the family a visit

They stood on the word of God, they quoted the scriptures

They used the story of Balaam and Balak

They explained that the word of soothsayers is not the word of God

They prayed as much as they knew how

They left

The wedding preparation began in earnest

Cows were tied, uniforms made and musicians booked

The groom was the first son of his parent

They were dripping in oil money

A month later, the wedding day came

He and his friends wore their best suits

Though they wouldn’t be the ones to join the bride and groom

They had been listed in the programme as part of the officiating ministers

They got to the church service

The groom looked good, the bride looked radiant

The church service was over within ninety minutes

They moved to the reception

It went seamlessly

Just as the couple were about to cut the cake

The bride’s mother went missing

Then the bride’s father

They were huddled together in one corner

Having a serious discussion

After some minutes, they returned to the table

They smiled and laughed as they took pictures

The reception eventually ended

The bride’s mother approached the two of them

She greeted them and told them not to be in a hurry to leave

Why?

The Bride’s elder sister was involved in a motor accident on her way to the reception venue

She died instantly

They were informed during the ceremony but they had to keep calm so as not to ruin the occasion for the bride

But now the bride will have to know

Nobody can predict her reaction

This was why she had elected to approach them

As clergy men, they should be able to help calm her down

He couldn’t believe his ears

Why didn’t their prayers work?

The bride was told

Sorrow, tears and blood

They consoled her eventually

Sent her off with her husband on honeymoon

When they got home, they discussed the series of events over and over

"How come?"

His friend said "God is unquestionable, it is the will of God!"

That response was not satisfactory to him

"God? Why put everything on God? They were men of God! Why were they so powerless?"

The following week they met the brother in Jeans and T-shirt and invited him to their house

He came the next day around noon

Just as he was settling down

The white garment prophets arrived

They arrived in droves as usual with bells and drums and tambourines

They made all sorts of noise

He turned to the brother in Jeans and T-shirt and told him about the prophets

They explained how accurate the prophecies of the guys were

And the potency of the last one which defied their prayer of faith

The brother in Jeans and T-shirt laughed

He stood up, walked to the balcony and said “I decree in the name of Jesus, you people must move on. I scatter your gathering. You cannot speak where I am. I am in charge of this territory now. In Jesus name.  Amen”

Then he turned back and sat down

The prophets couldn’t settle on which house to go to

They moved about for about ten minutes and after much ado they left abruptly!

WOW!

“How did you do that?” He asked the brother in Jeans and T-shirt

“I am a territorial spirit, where I am no other spirit can operate!”

They were still talking when they heard a bell right in front of their house

They looked at the street and saw one prophet

One old white garment prophet with dread locks and a mean look

The brother in Jeans and T-shirt laughed and said “I love this”

"What did he love? What was going on?"

As the brother in Jeans and T-shirt descended the stairs

The two of them followed him curiously

They could sense something was afoot

They just didn’t know what it was

The old prophet didn’t say a word, he just persisted in ringing his bell

The Brother in Jeans and T-shirt looked at him and said “You can talk now”

Old prophet: One servant should not disturb another! We were sent here on assignment

Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: I was told you have toured this area for years. Today will be your last day here. I am here now and this is my territory. I remove the shadows and the dark clouds hanging here before I came. I command the sun to shine through again over this community

Old prophet: Ok sir. (Falls on his knee) Please pray for me

Brother in jeans and T-shirt: I set you free in Jesus name. I command you to see the light and find your purpose in Jesus name!

Old prophet: Amen

Old prophet left

Brother in Jeans and T-shirt returned to their flat

They discussed at length about the things of the spirit

The community was set free from that day

Joy and good tidings returned to the inhabitants of the area

PS: This event happened at Ashi community, located between Bashorun and Bodija bus stops in Ibadan

Event happened on December 28, 2014

The old prophet left the church a month later

He is now a missionary with a Pentecostal church in Port Novo

Both seminary graduates now speak in tongues and pastor a Baptist church where praying in the spirit is allowed

Dear born-again brother and sister

Please don’t be spiritually docile

Don’t be receptive to spiritual proclamations you do not desire to see come to pass

You have the power to turn night to day inside of you

Use it!

For those who are yet to know the Lord

It will be to your advantage to surrender your life to Jesus now

Be filled with the Holy Spirit

Be in control of your own spiritual territory

Note: Today is December 28, 2018. There is a vigil tonight from 11pm at RCCG Christ Covenant Parish, opposite old Tantalisers Building Ogudu Road, Ogudu. Lagos

Theme: Power for effective change

If the Holy Spirit is stirring your spirit to come, please come