T.B. Joshua’s Evil Doings Finally Exposed!
T.B. Joshua’s Evil Doings Finally Exposed!
Clueless in Nigeria?
by Mike Oppenheimer – Let Us Reason Ministries
Christian America has been saturated with miracles, by the TV, books and crusades. But it has have not changed our country. We have been the center of miracle men for a decade but now there are miracle men arising on other continents. There is someone new ARISING on the continent of Africa that is similar to the likes of William Branham in America over 50 years ago. From what I have heard some of those from Toronto have already paid him a visit to see the miracle man from Nigeria. Lee Grady in charisma writes “several prominent charismatic leaders have visited Joshua’s compound and returned with favorable impressions. These include Canadian renewal leader John Arnott, Pittsburgh pastor Joseph Garlington, Louisiana evangelist Marvin Gorman and New Zealand minister Bill Subritzky.”( Charisma news article “Famed Nigerian Faith Healer ‘Dangerous to the Body of Christ” by J. Lee Grady)
The Synagogue Church Of All Nations has About 100,000 members. T.B. Joshua (TB stands for Tenitope Bolegun) the founder is called a prophet and a healer. He is 38 years old, married and has children. He began his synagogue 10 years ago with only a handful of people and he now has the attention of many people because of the powers he exhibits. Q: Why members of The Synagogue greet one another: “Emmanuel”?
A: “My God is a universal God, so He knew the mission He has entrusted me with. The members of the synagogue greet one another by saying Immanuel. This saying means that God was with Israel present in the person of Christ in his incarnation, not just some general God who is here today.” [Emphasis added]
While this greeting may not have much significance to us for those involved in his ministry it certainly raises some concerns. The early Church said Maranatha (meaning Lord come quickly) they say God with us. He justifies this by saying “they will be able to know that they are members of The Synagogue Church of All Nations.” But what if one is not part of his group? Are they greeted the same way? First we need to know that the Bible does not speak of synagogue but a Church who are his people. “Church of All Nations” does imply universal leanings. This term All Nations is used once for the temple in Mark 11:17 “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.'” (It has a good interpretation as in Rev.15:4 and a bad one Rev.13:12,16, 14:8, 18:3)
Synagogue is strictly a Jewish term meaning the sacred assembly of the Israelites, after the book of Acts it is used of those who are into legalism and against God who say they are Jews but are not (Rev.2:9,3:9). I don’t see how these two terms can be combined as the church is the body of believers throughout the world and a synagogue is something for Judaism that is in unbelief.
A phrase that keeps coming out from the information written is “The Man In The Synagogue” which ominously reminds me of Jesus’ warning of the one who will stand in the temple in Mt.24:15, needless to say I will not make an absolute association from this term being used.
There are three entrances to the synagogue when one enters “through the first gate, there are sets of tap nozzles fixed to the walls. These taps are connected from the public water distribution networks. The Man In The Synagogue sanctifies the water and it becomes “Blood of Jesus Christ.” [Emphasis added]
This so called transubstantiation miracle is strange in that it verifies Roman Catholicism without him being a priest. [Emphasis added]
On a videotape distributed by the Synagogue of all Nations-Prophet Joshua blessed a huge tank of water, “touching each of twelve running spigots, proclaiming them to now be “the blood of Jesus.” The congregation was then shown rushing forward, pushing and pulling among themselves seeking to get to those spigots first, that they might drink, splash, and in some cases even shower in “the blood of Jesus”. This is perhaps the most disturbing aspect of it all, as it turns the Biblical doctrine of the blood of Jesus (His vicarious death) into a sensuous, superstitious experience. No Priest or Prophet can turn any substance into the blood of Jesus. That is more akin to paganism and magic than Christianity. The blood of Jesus was shed as a sacrifice to God the Father, not as a potion to be slashed and bathed in!” [Emphasis added] ( Bill Randles excerpts from a letter to a South African newspaper on 02.05.01 – See full article at the bottom of this article)
After seeing this video it became a great concern to see this deception at work. Joshua says “I’m going to touch it”, He says “Whatever the man of God touches will be blessed”, he also stated, “it is the blood of Jesus.”
After the people run and push each other to drink and touch the water they begin to writhe on the floor as in pain, they vomit and pee (mostly women). Both men and women seem to have pain in a certain area as they grab their genitals. This blood that was once water is said to perform signs and wonders, but the people are tortured. Afterward we see them crawling on the floor scraping their buttocks as they leave. This is no miracle, it is not setting people free, but bringing them into spiritual bondage. [Emphasis added]
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We are told the church’s vision is based on the threefold ministry of Jesus Christ: “Preaching the good news to all; Healing the people of all manner of sickness; and Delivering those who are demon-possessed.”
The “man of God” will stretch his hand to heal but He seldom touches the people during ministry.” God’s miracles through Prophet T.B. Joshua are called unlimited.” HIV/AIDS, cancer, deliverance from demonic spirits, the blind seeing, limbs of the crippled made whole. The Church of All Nations, now presents their Negative medical reports certifying people are completely healed of HIV/AIDS (2002).
Early in the morning people gathers to enter the church. There are two services during the week: Sunday and Wednesday starting at 9 am, but. people rush in from 6 am as the gates are opened. The man of God (T.B. Joshua) will only arrive as directed by the Holy Spirit. This can be anything between 10 am to 6 pm – and then the service can last until 1 am the next morning. Special services for the new believers are held on Mondays. So he makes the people wait. During the long hours before the man of God arrives, testimonies, healings and deliverances are played to the congregation on dozens of TV sets.
The video ministry at the Synagogue plays an important role. Everything is recorded, edited and archived for future reference. The cameramen run after the man of God as he ministers to provide coverage for the whole church. Whenever something happens. you will hear: “Look at the screen of your television set…” He must have learned well from the American TV shows. “The man of God” refers to pasts prophecies – and then the video crew needs to show it on the television sets. Television sets are placed strategically in order for all the people to know what is happening during the service.
There are several pictures presented that are painted on the church area. One of the pictures in the church is Jesus tied to a pole with what looks like children whipping him and the quote is Isa.53:5 by his wounds we are healed. This is not biblical as it was on the cross this is applied to not his whipping by the Romans. [Emphasis Added]
In Africa there is a large presence of Islam. In T.B. Joshua’s church there is a picture with the inscription “there is no God but Allah” (which is also written in Arabic with the quotes from the Quaran). (DTW note: See Picture lower down article) Anyone who is familiar with Islam knows exactly what this means. They deny God has a Son and God as Father. If Joshua has this in his church it certainly implies he agrees with them. This becomes a denial of the Christian message and the gospel as God sent His son to die for sins. Is Joshua trying to make peace between these two religions? I think it would be best in the interest of the one he claims to represent to take this sign down. But furthermore we need to question why he would use this, for the Bible is clear “He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also” (I John 2:22-23). This Quaranic statement certainly fits the warning in Scripture and so does anyone who employs it. 2 John 10, 11 warns “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” [Emphasis added]
He says “The power of God is used to glorify God and the power of satan to glorify satan.” This is not necessarily so as we find in Acts 8 Simon the sorcerer was claimed great by the people of Samaria all saying “This man is the great power of God” The very thing Joshua claims! Things are not always what they appear to be. Although TB does not covet for money as Simon, he certainly covets attention as he becomes the focus of everything done and controls the people movements as he waves his hand.
People with cancer Aids and various organic diseases are claimed to be healed. The man of God only prays for people who has a valid medical certificate (unless the disease is obvious). This is also the same for HIV+ and AIDS cases. The workers of the church ensure that the correct procedures are followed. Here they write down their names and sicknesses to be prayed for, they hold them up so TB can see what to pray for. People are also filmed with certificates of proof that they were healed, but they really can’t bee seen to distinguish what is said.
But not everyone has the blessing as rugby player Wium Basson came to Joshua with advanced liver cancer. He waited in hope for the prophet to pray for him but it never occurred, Joshua passed him by. Joshua also trains others to heal and had junior prophets also prayed laying hands on him (the mom later commented no Bibles were seen). Later on in the video Joshua says he phoned the mom who brought her son Wium to be healed and says he prayed on the mountain for 10 hours and Wium sends his regards and says he’s very happy, God is happy his son has come home. Now we have TB involved in necromancy, contacting the dead for a message to his mom. Be assured there is nothing Christian about this. [Emphasis added]
One woman with advance cancer came to Joshua and describes him as one who “stretched out his anointed right hand towards her in accordance with Acts 4:30.” She Immediately felt a cool and soothing sensation flow through her body, and was a completely relieved from it.
The Synagogue states, “By the effective application of the Power in the Name of Jesus Christ, Peter healed the crippled man at the Beautiful Gate. Christianity was born and propagated from there. Men who knew that they could not make disciples of a dead Christ; that if people were to believe in Jesus Christ, they must be convinced that He is risen and alive heralded the message of the healing at the Beautiful Gate. The only way to convince them was for Jesus Christ to do the same works through the disciples as He did before He was crucified. And the early church was born on this standard. If millions of people are to believe in Jesus Christ, they must be witness to the proof that He is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
The Bible says otherwise, there are many who have never seen a miracle that have believed in Jesus, even Thomas who asked to see the proof of the resurrection was commended; Jesus added blessed are they that believe that have not seen.
Despite all this talk about healings the video production presents none. If one looks closely there are some noticeable inconsistencies. As one watches how his healings are done, evidence of a stark contrast from the Bible becomes apparent to those who know their Scripture. For those who do not they will not be able to tell the true from the false.
He wiggles his hands toward the people and people react. Nothing I write about can really convey what one sees on the video. In one healing for a mouth severely damaged, he pounds and rubs over and over his own mouth pointing the other hand toward the afflicted woman’s mouth. Ectoplasm with blood comes from her mouth as she is supposedly healed. This is not Bible healing but sorcery. This healing they show pictures of before and after for proof, but the mouth appears to be of another woman, as the real one had many teeth missing this one has a perfect set of teeth.I guess this would be areal miracle to get a whole new set of teeth bu this is not what is being presented. Another man who said he was 42 years old and was healed is one of the most obvious set ups. You can see a completely different person giving a testimony. Unless they want us to accept that not only was he healed, but was given a whole new body. Another who has HIV John Rindel and was supposed to be healed and still was HIV positive after one month. [Emphasis added]
The video that is shown as an advertisement for this healer can only be described as gross. It shows both men and women’s genitals being severely diseased and afflicted before and during the healing, but no filming of it disappearing. Afterwards to prove they are healed to an audience the people pull down their pants or dress and show themselves publicly to others. Let me remind you this is going on inside a Church. Did the apostles do such undignified humiliating proofs? This is outrageous that people will come to view such things. [Emphasis added]
Actually almost all the supposed miracles are about people being afflicted in the private parts. One can only wonder why this shown. I’m sorry if this sounds lewd but it cannot be described in any delicate manner to convey what is actually taken place.After seeing the video I was visibly disturbed, thinking I could vomit.I had watched something that I would not recommend for anyone to watch, even if they have a strong stomach.
TB has people shake wildly as he throws and slashes his hands (sometimes using his feet). He is shown healing someone’s behind by grabbing his own. He shakes and wobbles his hand toward the recipient. He will squat and the person uncontrollably squats, he stands and they stand. All this is going on while the announcer says Mal.3:6 in the background and telling the people this is surely the power of God. No, this is the closest thing I have seen to voodoo. I have studied the occult and healing methods of different religious persuasions enough to recognize this is not what is claimed. He calls this remote control. [Emphasis added]
We see people vomiting worms, rocks, shells etc.(vomiting is a native custom to be cleansed). What is stated is that they are vomiting their problems away (some are peeing). Women squat as blood is mixed with urine all this is happening inside the Church with people watching. [Emphasis added]
He like others in America have learned the power of images. He gives out imprints of his hand on paper for a point of contact for the sick to be healed. He says “my hand” “I do this”, certainly the message that comes through is that it his power, although he attributes it to God. He may not charge for this as of yet, but he certainly seems to enjoy the attention of the people flocking to him as the prophet healer. [Emphasis added]
TB’s healings can also bring salvation without any Gospel message. He states, “You are receiving this healing for the salvation of your soul” “A miracle today is salvation of your soul” Is this how to be saved? Jesus never taught miracles bring salvation to a soul. Does this imply TB is more powerful? [Emphasis added]
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Some news from those who have been there:
On a trip to Nigeria, Becky Kiser was invited to stay at the Synagogue of All Nations church. Kiser spent a week there, after handing over her passport and plane ticket for volunteers to confirm her departure, but was then unable to get them back later when she wanted to leave. And was afraid for her life.
She stated “I will not wish anyone to go through the same experience, and worse I will not wish to see anyone deceived.”
Although there was a “sense of power” at the church, Kiser said that from her experience ministering to people from occult backgrounds, she did not believe it was the work of the Holy Spirit. “I saw more powerful miracles than I have ever seen, but they were not of God.” [Emphasis added] (American ‘Held Prisoner’ at Controversial African ‘Miracle’ Church, by Andy Butcher- Charisma News Service, May 17, 2002)
In a recent Charisma news article Sept. 2002, It says, “He converses with angels during sermons, speaks of traveling to other places in the spirit realm and has been known to ask people to walk through the audience naked to prove their healings.“ [Emphasis added]
“Without exception the Nigerian leaders said they believe [T.B. Joshua] is not a legitimate minister of the gospel.
A summit was held at the world’s largest church building, Winner’s Chapel in Ota, pastored by Bishop David Oyedepo. “Some Nigerian leaders claim animal sacrifices have been performed in Joshua’s church to generate a source for occult power.”
Arnott said that although Joshua is “secretive and mystical,” and his Nigerian followers seem “zombielike,” he is not ready to denounce him as a false prophet. “Lots of desperately ill people have been healed there,” Arnott said, noting that he met a woman during his visit to Lagos in 2000 who was healed of three types of cancer in Joshua’s meetings. “There seemed to be definite miracles going on, and they were done in the name of Jesus.” (Charisma news article “Famed Nigerian Faith Healer ‘Dangerous to the Body of Christ” by J. Lee Grady)
Some people can be fooled quite easily when they look to the miracles and not the doctrine or the way his healings and miracles are practiced. His teaching may be peppered with Bible quotes, but his practice is seasoned with sorceries.
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What are His teachings?
T.B. Joshua has something very interesting things to say. He believes the carnally-minded account for about 80% of the human population, how he arrives at this figure is not said. In an interview with a French reporter he is asked when did you know that you have this certain gift of healing? He claims he was born with it. The Bible does not teach the gifts of the Spirit are given at birth. One does not have to wonder what is operating here, as he touches the area on his body that needs to be healed on sick persons body. This is called transference in energy in psychic circles, this is not how the apostles nor Jesus healed. This is pure sorcery.
Q: Why he is a vegetarian?
A: “I was not born a vegetarian. In fact, when God sent me on this mission, I realized that my work is tedious. I will refer to John 5:37: “And the Father who sent me hath borne witness to me, His Voice you have never heard, His form you have never seen.”
In a week I deliver contrary spirit carriers (Ogbanjes), witches and wizards (about 1000 of them). They are not ordinary human beings. Some are half human and half fish. So if you eat fish you can not deliver them.”
Vegetarianism is not wrong in itself. To be a vegetarian the Bible says one is weak in the faith as we are able to eat all animals now if we give thanks. This kind of comment shows he weak in a number of things, his powers. To answer in the manner “I was not born a vegetarian” he is insinuating that he arrived at this to work better miracles.
Vegetarianism can often be associated with the occult. As one is not to eat meat to be a cleaner vessel for the energy to work through them. To use a African superstition as a fact of reality makes me wonder if he has any real grasp on Scripture. This is superstition and sounds more like shamanism than Christianity. In fact it is. Jesus ate fish and he certainly had no problem of delivering people.
Bill Randles comments on this-
Joshua has strange beliefs, for example he is a vegetarian because he told an interviewer that many of the people he ministers to in the area of deliverance are “Half fish and half man”. In another interviewer he said that “the divine person” within him can appear to thousands simultaneously, even coming to them in their dreams! This is not Christianity! (Bill Randles excerpts from a letter to a South African newspaper on 02.05.01 – See full article at the bottom of this article) [Emphasis added]
Now that we have established the claims of great miracles one needs to consider what is the man’s doctrine. For he does claim to be a Christian. If so his doctrine will line up with the word and we can be assured the miracles are from God. Furthermore what he says of his power will reveal if it is of the God from the Bible or another source.
There is a book: Pastor W.F. Kumuyi and Prophet T.B. Joshua: Are both messengers of God? By Isaac B.Agbaje and Abieye Kalu
This book seems to put Kumuyi and Joshua in the same category. Kumuyi is called a holiness preacher who spoke at Lausanne II along with John Wimber, Peter Wagner, Jack Hayford, Vinson Synan, Paul Yonggi Cho. (He spoke about evangelists drawing crowds of 50,000 to 500,000 through prophetic gifts and miracles). However Kumuyi seems to have good doctrine in spite of his associations. According to Isaacson, as a dedicated Christian and deserves the title ‘the man of God,’ which his followers have given him (Kumuyi). This may be a tradition in Africa but is not one from the Bible. Yet from what I read he seems to have a grasp on the Scripture and its doctrines and is not like T.B. Joshua.
Q: T.B. Joshua -Why he doesn’t criticize other men of God?
A: “Despite the fact that many fellow ministers of God daily blaspheme against me, I refrain from retaliating, because I know the grave consequences of criticizing an anointed man of God. For instance, if you are a minister of God, but deliberately go out of your way to blaspheme against another man of God, whom you knew is a true man of God, you have lost on or two of your spiritual powers to the colleague you blasphemed against unjustifiably.” “Those ministers of God who go about condemning me rather than preaching the Gospel they are sent to preach, are doing themselves a great harm. The more they condemn me, the lesser their anointing become. Go round the country today and see what is happening. Those men of God who used to perform great signs and wonder have lost their anointing because of their blasphemies.”
The Bible says nothing about blaspheming a man, only God. He tells us the consequences are losing some of our spiritual powers. We have no spiritual powers. This is term in other religions and the occult. From what he is saying one would eventually have no abilities after a certain amount of time if they were to continue to do this. If anyone comes against him it is blasphemy. Is he God?
Can ones anointing subside on the condition of pointing out false doctrine! Who is T.B. Joshua think he is that he can judge like this and say something the Bible does not. The Bible tells us we are to judge (Rom.16:17 Jude, Mt.7).This is something we see all to often in cults where someone pulls a superiority trip and manipulates people to not questioning or saying anything against them.
Those who claimed they gave him power “One thing that I know for sure about human beings is that if they gave you power or used their position to promote you to an exalted position and you start behaving arrogantly, they will immediately take back the power(s) they gave you or demote you before you know it. I hereby challenge those who claimed they gave me powers to heal and deliver people to withdraw their powers henceforth and render me powerless. Let them nullify my powers if they are the true source.”
Some thing is going on behind the scene for him to say this. No man can give someone supernatural power. However I notice an arrogant tone in his boasting of what he can do and what others cannot.
“How my detractors should come to think and believe that a man of 36 years can be doing what God has been using me to do with evil powers among millions of Nigerians without another person being able to do the same things beats my imagination.”
Considering his previous statement of acting arrogantly, it seems to fit him as well as his detractors. It somehow reminds me of Rev. Moon and others boasting in himself.
He even challenged the government to bring the other pastors evangelists out ” to the Tafawa Balewa Square and give each man of God just ten minutes to minister to and pray for the people. Then with the miracles, signs and wonders that confirm the ministration of each man of God, the government will know who are the genuine men of God, and those who are serving mammon.”
Does Joshua think that whoever shows the most power is authenticated by God, especially in competition? When Elijah challenged the priests of Baal it was not validate HIS ministry but to show whether the Lord is God? We are not to lead people to God or truth based on signs and wonders but by preaching the gospel message the content of the Bible.
Q: To those critics who say he is using evil powers
A: “It is not possible for a single person to be working outstanding miracles, signs and wonders which millions of other Nigerians cannot do and for such a person to be an agent of Satan. They – the God’s generals – should combine forces and deliver such a satanic person or get rid of him.”
Is his statement mean that a person who is an agent of Satan cannot work miracles? The Bible says the False Prophet will be able to great miracles, Jesus said so. Mt. 24:24-26: “For false Christ’s and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. “See, I have told you beforehand. “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.” Isn’t where TB lives considered the desert?
Maybe he forgot 2 Thess. 2:9-10 “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
Bill Randles comments-Joshua has the power to call fire from heaven upon the body parts of sinning members of his congregation! A woman in the video is seen clutching her private parts in agony, (it seems to the mild amusement of others) as Joshua’s fire cleanses her of the sin. (excerpts from a letter to a South African newspaper on 02.05.01- See article at the bottom) [Emphasis added]
Rev. 13:11-14 When the second beast comes up out of the earth V.12 “And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell.” People are deceived by those signs, quite the opposite of what T.B. Joshua is claiming.
Do gurus witch doctors and shamans and those in the occult not do any miracles? If not then what would be the attraction to them? Certainly not God! To claim that because he can do greater miracles than “millions of other Nigerians” means he is of God is complete nonsense. He has one big fat ego and if one looks carefully at his statements they are motivated by pride. The fruit of the Spirit is humility, no apostle spoke on how they can do greater or more miracles than others. Love does not boast or puff itself up. Something is going on that we are not privy to by his defensiveness. There is more than what is said or meets the eye.
TB makes an unqualified statement from what I can gather is to get rid of those who oppose his miracles as that one is from Satan and not the one who works the miracles. This is flat out dangerous to say and is making a judgment. Something he has already said not to do.
On false prophets and ministers he says “The Bible says that Satan will come as an angel of light and his agents as ministers of righteousness. (11 Cor.I1:14)Be careful you are not deceived by the eloquent preachers and evangelists who can quote every verse of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. They may be agents of Satan in disguise (11 Cor. II:14).” He tells us we can know who is of God by miracles and then belittles the word by saying if one is preaching the word the may be of Satan. This is exactly what The Devil said to Eve “has God said?” This man is quite dangerous and the people of Nigeria need to take notice and think through what he is saying and get there eyes off of the miracles.
Q: Judging Others?
A: “If you judge your fellow being now who will judge them on the day of judgment? Always remember that we see things not as they are but as we are.”
This means one can never ascertain truth!
Q: Identifying False Miracle Workers and Genuine Ministers of God.
A: “I think we should leave that one to God who will separate the sheep from the goats at the appointed time. Though before God does the separation, there will be a lot of confusion but, He will do it at His own good time.”
He states to let God separate the sheep from the goats at the appointed time. Though he admits that before God does the separation, “there will be a lot of confusion.” While this verse is true we are to discern in the meantime what is true or false, and this he is discouraging. No one is judging ones eternal destiny. We are to separate ourselves from those who speak contrary to the doctrine of Christ (Rom. 16:17; Titus 3:10) we are to make judgments based on Scripture. T.B. Joshua is causing division Because he seems to judge what will happen to people especially if they speak against him. But he doesn’t do this by the Bible but from his own peculiar ideas such as they will lose their powers or anointing.
Q: Whose interest does he serve?
A: “The fact that I don’t collect money from the people God uses me to set free proves that I am working for the kingdom of God. If I am working for satan and don’t collect money from the people he enables me to heal, what then is my gain?”
It is interesting to see this slant as an approval of ones ministry. Neither does powers nor non abuse of people prove one is authenticate (it is doctrine). Since he has said for anyone to come against him is blasphemy, he on the other hand has come against TBN by taking the position that to take money detracts from someone’s ministry. I don’t think we will see him as a guest on “This is your day” or “PTL” anytime soon. Maybe he will change his position, (they all do). There are other things besides money as many religions do not go after the dollar but like the fame and the control they have over people. I can’t judge his motive in this so time will tell.
Q: Men of God who are money conscious.
A: “A man of God who places emphasis on money or collects money from the people he heals or delivers will soon fall from grace to grass…. when a prophet of God forms the habit of extorting money from those whom God healed through him or her, he or she becomes a partaker of their sicknesses, problems and tribulations.”
I guess you can call this is the transferable anti anointing, as one inherits the persons ills they supposedly healed. Again he has spoken against TBN which is in America God’s anointed club which has more of them then he, me thinks he’d better watch it. Or maybe all the TV evangelists will have severe problems in the future. Either way he has made definitive statement that will have to be proven.
He does say “Many have lost their anointing while some have been demoted spiritually, because of their lust for money and other worldly things of life.” If there was any place we could see this happen it would be in America, yet it has not happened so I wonder who he is speaking about? [DTW note: T.B. Joshua is RICH, he dresses in the finest clothes, he travels the world, he has a television station that transmits his ministry 24 hours of the day. The amount of money that he gives to the poor is nothing in comparison to the donations he receives. He does not have a bank account because he does not want authorities to track his money.]
Q: Why his power couldn’t have come from satan.
A: “If my power is from satan, it will be impossible for me to be continually and consistently working against satan, because satan is the source of AIDS, cancer and other deadly diseases which God has been using me to deliver people from. If satan is the source of my power, I cannot be working against him, because that will contradict what Jesus Christ said in the Bible that you cannot drive out demons by evil spirit.”
This is half true as Jesus said one can be cleansed of a demon and unless they are filled with the Holy Spirit the demon can come back with 7 more. The fact that ones disease is removed does not mean it is of God. Otherwise we would have to say all the gurus and shamans and cults have the same power, a position that I doubt anyone would take. Is Satan the source of all diseases or is the fall of Adam the open door for sicknesses and death? The Bible says it is. Yes it is true Satan can use disease but lets not give him more credit for all the ills of mankind than he deserves
“Faith means the Word of God mixed with God’s Spirit. When you speak the Word of God and it is mixed with the Spirit of God, whatever you decrees comes to pass.”
Now we find what he is into Word faith teaching, surprised? I’m not since it is tied into the occult and metaphysics. What you say will come to pass! I have to wonder if he attended Rhema college or read some word faith books from what he is saying. These words and concepts are not something you just arrive at.
Q: Living a fulfilled life?
A: “Spiritually speaking, every lack is hunger. Sickness, poverty and even death is hunger. And the permanent fulfillment of this hunger is an unconditional acceptance of Jesus Christ into your life. When Jesus lives in you, hunger, poverty and sickness will become thing of the past.”
The Word-Faith doctrine of everything to be all good is nonsense. We are not promised “hunger, poverty and sickness” would be removed in this life. Those in Africa should know that hunger, poverty and sickness are not taken away as a general promise to all who are Christian. Maybe this is the attraction, to give them hope but it is something that he nor God promised to deliver.
“I never claimed to be Jesus Christ. I can never claim to be Jesus. There is no amount of power I will have that I will claim to be Jesus Christ. I am an ordinary servant. Even if I have power to create human beings, I can never claim to be Jesus Christ.” Power would not make one Christ even if the ability to create life was there. What I’m wondering is why he is so defensive about his miracles?
His quote “I was not born a vegetarian. In fact, when God sent me on this mission, I realized that my work is tedious. I will refer to John 5:37: “And the Father who sent me hath borne witness to me, His Voice you have never heard, His form you have never seen.” This is something Jesus said of himself so those who are discerning are questioning what exactly he may be saying. Though he does claim Jesus is his support and source of his strength and power, he on the other hand seems to imply something else.
The secret of his success he claims are his enemies who makes him stronger as he seeks God. “I always strive to do the will of God, obey Him and follow His directions to the letter. This is why my divine power increases daily.” Do divine powers increase daily? MY divine power! Is there any such teaching like this in the Scripture. Is T.B. Joshua Scripturally based when he says such things? [Emphasis added]
Matt 7:22-23: “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” This fits Joshua to a T, or should it be TB.
“I have never traveled outside Nigeria before I was called to God’s work. By the grace of God, I’m doing what I’m doing because I’m a promised child. Anybody called a promised child will do what people in his time cannot do.”What does he think of himself; he is a promised child, where is that in the Bible? We find promises given through prophecy about Jesus and others, but does this mean he is promised in the same way? Who is the one who made the promise? What was it? To this extent we have no information. We have this idea of gifted ones before and they all seem to have a healing ministry. But as we have seen how he heals the promise cannot be from the God of Scripture. [Emphasis added]
In Bill Randles excerpts from a letter to a South African newspaper on 02.05.01 he states this- Born with the gift of healing- On a French television interview, Prophet Joshua said that he had received this ‘gift’ at birth. The true Gifts of the Spirit of God (see I Cor. 12-14) are not bestowed at birth to anyone, one must be converted to Christ, and even then the gifts are distributed “As the Spirit wills”. [See full article at the bottom of this article]
There are more questions than there are answers on this and much more of who this person is. I would suggest from what little we know that one would keep there distance from this “healer” before they can learn more about what is REALLY going on. Lets think before we accept what someone is saying, it just may prevent you from being hurt instead of thinking you’re being helped. It may keep you from being deceived instead of thinking you’re enlightened.
* Notes on shamans
Shamans are recruited from among young persons who are seen exhibiting an openness to the world of sacred meanings than is available to those in the society. Once they are chosen, they undergo a special shamanistic initiation taught by elder shamans. Forms of healing that were passed down and behavior that identify their sacred work. They undergo long periods of training before they are capable practitioners of the sacred and healing arts. It is the same for medicine men and diviners although some inherit their status.
Disease in traditional Africa is usually thought of as caused by some personal agent, such as a dissatisfied ancestor, an evil spirit, or a witch, the last being an “upside-down person” working against communal harmony rather than for it. A distinction is sometimes made between a witch (usually female), who acts in hidden ways, sometimes unconsciously, and a sorcerer (usually male) who is aware of what he is doing. Witchcraft as a source of personal and communal disharmony may be a manifestation of “sin” (disobedience to ancestral norms).
To discover the cause of disease people turn to divination, which is a search for the hidden causes of events. Divination may be used to identify the ancestor who has been reborn in a child, to find the destiny of a person, or choose between candidates for chief, but its most frequent use is to find the cause of disease or communal disharmony. Divination takes various forms in Africa, some involving observation of the relationship between objects, some based on the presence of a divining spirit that takes possession of the person of the diviner and speaks through him or her. The diviner in this case may be understood be understood as a kind of prophet. “It is the shaman’s function to regulate relations between the spirits and the community in order to ensure the community’s well-being. Shamans concern themselves with such matters as locating and attracting game or fish, controlling the weather, detecting broken taboos that bring misfortune, expelling harmful spirits, and especially with curing the sick and guiding the souls of the dead to the spirit world.
Because of their special powers, shamans may gain considerable political influence in their communities, as, for example, among the Colorado people of Ecuador. A shaman is said to be chosen by the spirits, selected from among persons of an excitable temperament who are given to daydreaming and visionary experience. Sometimes a shaman is marked for the vocation by repeated illnesses or mental disturbance. The person believed chosen for this calling must undergo an initiatory ordeal, which includes an ecstatic temporary loss of consciousness that symbolizes death and resurrection. Among the most common characteristics of the initiatory ordeal are the supposed dismemberment of the subject’s body, the removal of his or her flesh, and the substitution of new flesh. In many cultures the candidate is believed to receive during this ordeal a mystical light that enables him or her to discover the secret places to which lost souls have been taken. The recovery of souls whose loss or theft has caused misfortune is a major method of shamanic curing.”
[Charles H. Long Bibliography: Achterberg, J., Imagery in Healing (1985); Dow, J., Shamanism (1990); Eliade, Mircea, Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy, trans. by Willard Trask, rev. ed. (1964; repr. 1989); Taussig, M., Shamanism, Colonialism, and the Wild Man (1987); Walsh, R. N., Spirit of Shamanism (1990).]source: http://www.letusreason.org/Poptea8.htm
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T.B. Joshua “To Deceive Even The Elect …”
an expose’ on T.B. Joshua of The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations
by Sandy Simpson, 3/01
There has been a lot of talk about T.B. Joshua from Nigeria lately. I have written to him asking for two items: (1) a copy of his doctrinal statement and (2) independent HIV tests from BEFORE those he claims he has healed were allegedly healed proving they had AIDS to begin with. On his The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations web site he makes claims of AIDS healings but provides only testimonials and pictures of people holding up what are supposed to be HIV tests taken, in some cases, before and after the fact. Most people will readily realize that testimonials and HIV tests shown in photographs do not constitute proof. HIV tests from before their visit to The Synagogue should be provided independently of The Synagogue to verify any alleged healings.
That spectacular things are being seen at his church and on video seem to be without doubt. But let’s not forget that many of the “miracles” we see could also be faked. If these are indeed true miracles, we still need to investigate the source. It is important to remember that Satan is capable of both healing (Rev. 13:14) and making people sick (Job 2:7). I have suspected for a long time that occult healings can sometimes be the result of the enemy lifting sickness or disease that was a result of his inflicting sickness and disease in the first place. Why would he do that? Simply to prop up his false prophets and false healers and to deceive people! We also need to be aware of the fact that a house swept clean without true repentance and belief in Jesus Christ is a house that is open to further demonic episodes (Matt. 12:43-45). That’s why it’s always important to check back on those who claim to be healed and see if they are still healed at a later date.
But, most importantly, it’s imperative to test the spirits, judge and compare the doctrinal teachings and beliefs presented by T.B. Joshua with the Word of God. On that basis alone you will discover that this man is teaching heresy – laying error alongside truth. Christians should avoid any man who is using occult techniques in the name of Jesus Christ.
I will now comment on questions and answers given by T.B Joshua in a book called Pastor W.F. Kumuyi and Prophet T.B. Joshua: Are both messengers of God? by Isaac B. Agbaje and Abieye Kalu. His quotes are very enlightening and should be enough for any true believer to stay far away from this modern day shaman who mixes Christianity with paganism in a very enticing manner.
(Emphasis in the following quotes is our own. Underlining has been used to highlight false doctrines.)
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Q: Why he doesn’t criticize other men of God?
A: “Despite the fact that many fellow ministers of God daily blaspheme against me, I refrain from retaliating, because I know the grave consequences of criticizing an anointed man of God … For instance, if you are a minister of God, but deliberately go out of your way to blaspheme against another man of God, whom you knew is a true man of God, you have lost on(e) or two of your spiritual powers to the colleague you blasphemed against unjustifiably.”
Where exactly does he get this from the Word of God? There is absolutely nothing in the Word about people losing “spiritual powers” to someone they rebuke. In fact the Bible encourages us to rebuke those who are teaching falsely so that they may repent and come back to sound doctrine (Tit. 1:13). You cannot “blaspheme” men, you can only “blaspheme” God. Who does He think he is … God? The big question is: Will T.B. Joshua repent of his false doctrines and witchcraft and be saved?
Q: Those who claimed they gave him power.
A: “One thing that I know for sure about human beings is that if they gave you power or used their position to promote you to an exalted position and you start behaving arrogantly, they will immediately take back the power(s) they gave you or demote you before you know it. I hereby challenge those who claimed they gave me powers to heal and deliver people to withdraw their powers henceforth and render me powerless. Let them nullify my powers if they are the true source.”
“How my detractors should come to think and believe that a man of 36 years can be doing what God has been using me to do with evil powers among millions of Nigerians without another person being able to do the same things beats my imagination.”
“Ordinarily, people should have realized that it is God who is using me to do all these unprecedented miracle, signs and wonders in the lives of His people.”
Notice the egotism of T.B. Joshua. He claims he is the only person able to do these kinds of miracles. He needs to get informed about people like Sai Baba and other occult fakirs from books by people like Kurt Koch before he starts claiming his miracles are superior to anyone else’s. I haven’t seen him plant a mango seed in a pot, have it grow to a tree which bears mangos, then offer them to the crowd to eat as is detailed in Occult ABC by Koch. This is what fakirs in India have been able to do. I haven’t seen him raise anyone from the dead. I haven’t seen him have lights circling around his head like William Branham. T.B. Joshua has a long way to go to compete with occult false Christians that came before him, and a really long way to go to compete with the occult world. He is also alleging that people can give their powers to another person. The only possible reference to this in the Bible would be when Elijah’s mantle was left for Elisha. But Elijah clearly could not give Elisha any “double portion” of his spirit which was only the Lord’s to give. The concept of giving powers or an anointing to another person is strictly occult and forbidden by Scripture.
Q: T.B.Joshua challenges the Government.
A: “If the government wants to know who are the true men of God in Nigeria today, they should invite all the notable Pastors, Evangelists and General Overseers to the Tafawa Balewa Square and give each man of God just ten minutes to minister to and pray for the people. Then with the miracles, signs and wonders that confirm the ministration of each man of God, the government will know who are the genuine men of God, and those who are serving mammon.”
Has this type of challenge worked before? What happened shortly after Elijah prayed and God sent fire down from heaven to consume the altar and sacrifice on Mt. Carmel and the people declared that the Lord, He is God? They went back to their evil ways. In this time of the New Covenant after Christ’s death and resurrection and ascension into heaven to be seated at the right hand of God, we are not preaching and leading people to God based on signs and wonders but by preaching the gospel message “because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (Rom. 1:16) Why is T.B. Joshua so concerned about his reputation of being known as a “man of God” and is not concerned about God’s reputation enough to stop teaching false doctrine?
Q: Men (o)f God who go about condemning him?
A: “Those ministers of God who go about condemning me rather than preaching the Gospel they are sent to preach, are doing themselves a great harm. The more they condemn me, the lesser their anointing become. Go round the country today and see what is happening. Those men of God who used to perform great signs and wonder have lost their anointing because of their blasphemies.”
I wonder who made T.B. Joshua the arbiter of “the anointing”? I thought that was the Holy Spirit. Where in the Word does it state that those who rebuke false teachers like T.B. Joshua will have “less anointing”? Are not all Christians anointed equally by the Holy Spirit, and filled according to the works that God wants them to do in humility? Is the anointing we have in Jesus Christ not conditional on whether or not we obey the Lord in rebuking false doctrine, but instead on the whim of a man who obviously will no longer listen to reproof? T.B. Joshua has nothing whatsoever to say about who is anointed and who is not!
Q: To those critics who say he is using evil powers
A: “It is not possible for a single person to be working outstanding miracles, signs and wonders which millions of other Nigerians cannot do and for such a person to be an agent of satan. They – the God’s generals – should combine forces and deliver such a satanic person or get rid of him.”
Perhaps it’s time for a true believer to deliver T.B. Joshua! The statement that a person cannot work miracles and be an agent of satan is ludicrous. Who does he think will empower the False Prophet? Who does he think enables witch doctors and shamans the world over to effect healings and miracles of all sorts? Certainly not God! What an ego to claim that he can do greater miracles than “millions of other Nigerians”. This is egotism and pride, not humility. One of the fruits of the Spirit is humility.
Q: Whose interest does he serve?
A: “The fact that I don’t collect money from the people God uses me to set free proves that I am working for the kingdom of God.
If I am working for satan and don’t collect money from the people he enables me to heal, what then is my gain?”
First of all, is T.B. Joshua now condemning people like Benny Hinn and other TBN televangelists for collecting money? Are they then not working for the kingdom of God based on Joshua’s criteria? In saying such a thing isn’t he putting himself in danger of losing “one or two spiritual powers” by his own warped criteria? Collecting of money has nothing to do with whether one is working for God or satan. It is how that money is collected and for what purpose it is used that show whether or not it is being used for the kingdom of God. As to his last statement: “If I am working for satan and don’t collect money from the people he enables me to heal, what then is my gain?” there are other benefits from making a name for yourself … for instance, fame! What about gaining power and influence over people? There is much to gain outside of money if that is where the desires of the heart lie.
Q: The rumor that he claimed to be Jesus Christ
A: “I never claimed to be Jesus Christ. I can never claim to be Jesus. There is no amount of power I will have that I will claim to be Jesus Christ. I am an ordinary servant. Even if I have power to create human beings, I can never claim to be Jesus Christ.
Who am I? I sleep, I wake, I eat. This is a rumor!”
I’m glad he at least admits he is not Jesus Christ. But does the amount of power one has have anything to do with being Jesus Christ in reality? No man can be Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ is God, not because Jesus Christ has power. There is a difference.
Q: The allegation by his critics that he doesn’t feed his congregation with the Word of God, but just give them healing.
A: “What is my mission then if I don’t feed them with the Word of God? The Word is God, God is the Word. Miracles are just a means of gathering people for the Lord, so that they could be easily touched by the Holy Spirit and saved by Jesus Christ. My main mission is to save souls for Christ.
If I gather people without feeding them with the Word of God, then how do I achieve my mission? Miracles are just a means to an end, and not an end in itself.”
“Therefore, everyone who received a miracle received it for the salvation of his or her soul.”
Actually, the gospel is the means for Christ to gather people to Himself (John 12:32) not signs and wonders. Miracles are not the calling card to make people so they can be “easily touched” by the Holy Spirit. It is the message of the gospel that draws men to the foot of the cross in repentance. Our main mission on earth is not to “save souls for Christ”. It is to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15) and make disciples of all nations (Mt. 28:19). Jesus Christ does the saving, we preach the message of good news and disciple those who Jesus saves and who His Spirit immediately indwells upon belief in Christ. Miracles are not the means whereby salvation is an end. Preaching of the gospel and faith (Eph. 2:8-9) on the part of the hearer accomplish that through the grace of Jesus Christ. Miracles don’t save. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Apparently T.B. Joshua does not understand this concept. If not, this is a denial of a core doctrine of the Church.
Q: Whether he has ever traveled out of Nigeria before his call or not.
A: “I have never traveled outside Nigeria before I was called to God’s work. By the grace of God, I’m doing what I’m doing because I’m a promised child. Anybody called a promised child will do what people in his time cannot do. After him many people may pick up from where he left off.”
The question is: Who made what promise to whom and about whom? No evidence is given here about any promise, but even if there was some kind of prophecy announcing his birth, are we being led to believe that his birth is akin to the birth of Jesus or John the Baptist? If so, why does he make heretical statements? Did Jesus or John the Baptist teach heresy?
Q: Why members of The Synagogue greet one another: “Emmanuel”?
A: “My God is a universal God, so He knew the mission He has entrusted me with. In order to be able to identify my people, because He knew that they would spread all over the world, that is why He gave us that name, so anywhere people greet themselves by saying Emmanuel, they will be able to know that they are members of The Synagogue Church of All Nations.
‘Emmanuel’, simply means ‘God is with us’ (Matt 1:23, Isaiah 41:10, Romans 8:31). We also shout ‘Emmanuel’ to glorify God for His blessings and victories on our behalf.”
Who is this “universal God”? What does he mean by this? Is He then a God who will save everyone arbitrarily without regard to the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ to pay for our sins? This needs to be clarified. But the “Church of All Nations” title seems to indicate a universalist mentality. It also sounds a lot like the globalist church models by Maitreya and others. Here is a picture of T.B. Joshua that needs explanation.
UPDATE: Since I posted the above photograph, all elements of which were photographed in the Synagogue, that was clipped from a newspaper article in South Africa, I have since received confirmation of who wrote the article and where it was taken in an e-mail dated 5/11/01. “I am sure you have received the picture where you can see a quatation from the Quaran next to Jesus hanging on the Cross, with the words “There is no Deity but Allah”. (I can send it if you want it). It is inside the Synagogue Church.In another e-mail I was informed about the author of the article. “… Prof Tom Gouws … wrote an article in “Beeld”, an Afrikaans newspaper in Johannesburg, in which he in fact EXPOSED Joshua and pointed out that his doctrine is as deceptive as those of Benny Hinn, Rick Joyner, and others! What the above photo shows is that The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations is an interfaith church. Also, lest we forget, the Quaran states that Allah has no son, therefore this display in the Synagogue cancels itself out. The Catholic crucifix alongside a wall hanging with a quote from the Quaran shows an incredible ignorance on the part of T.B. Joshua of both Islam and Christianity. It is true that there is only one God, but He is one God in Three Persons … Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The “god” of Islam is a false God. The Quaran also states that “God has no son”. That cancels out both the Son and the Father, as without a Son there is also no Father, and of course no Holy Spirit. The God of the Muslims and apparently T.B. Joshua is not Almighty God revealed in the Scriptures, not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not YHWH, not the only true living Triune God of Christianity. This denial of the Trinity is just one more proof that T.B. Joshua is a heretic. [DTW note: This picture is collage of pictures taken at T.B. Joshua’s compound]
The word “synagogue” in their church name brings to mind Rev. 2:9 and 3:9 where Christ talks about the “synagogue of satan”. This was used in conjunction with Jews who claimed to be believers but were not because they were causing Gentile Christians to come back under the Law. First century Christians did go into the synagogues to witness but met in homes as believers. The false Jews continued worshiping in synagogues instead of being in fellowship with the Gentile beleivers. Jesus called these false Jews and their places of worship a “synagogue of satan”. Anytime you add to salvation by adding requirements such as signs and wonders, interfaith and ecumenical unity, regulations (see the next question), rituals, circumcision, liturgies, works … you become a synagogue of satan. I think they have aptly named their church organization based on what we know about T.B. Joshua.
Q: Why he is a vegetarian?
A: “I was not born a vegetarian. In fact, when God sent be on this mission, I realized that my work is tedious. I will refer to John 5:37: “And the Father who sent me hath borne witness to me, His Voice you have never heard, His form you have never seen.”
“In a week I deliver contrary spirit carriers (Ogbanjes), witches and wizards (about 1000 of them). They are not ordinary human beings. Some are half human and half fish. So if you eat fish you can not deliver them.”
First of all, no one is born a vegetarian. What a silly answer to a question not asked. We are all capable of eating and digesting all kinds of meat products. We know the Lord told Noah they could henceforth eat meat, and finally in the New Testament we are taught that eating meat is fine as long as it is not a stumbling block to others (1 Cor. 10:25-26). The last part of this answer shows clearly that T.B. Joshua is a shaman. The Bible says nothing about this, but this kind of secret information is evolutionary in concept and is witchcraft, pure and simple. It is also ridiculous and ludicrous.
Q: The source of his power?
A: “Jesus Christ is the source of my power. Without His support I will fall. He is my strength. He is my power. He is my sustainer. He is my all. Without Him, I am nothing. I cannot perform any miracle, sign or wonder without the support of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.”
So Jesus Christ is T.B. Joshua’s “support” team? If Joshua were truly a believer he would admit that nothing he does comes from him AT ALL but only from Jesus Christ. But since Joshua is clearly a shaman Jesus Christ becomes a supporter propping up Joshua’s ministry.
Q: The Mission of the Synagogue Church of All Nations?
A: “The Synagogue I know in Nigeria, which God established and founded and instructed me to oversee, can be adjudged clearly through the works of healing, deliverances and blessings as “The Synagogue of God” going by testimonies of people from other churches, places and societies, home and abroad, who are living beneficiaries of the grace of God which abides and abounds for ever.”
Is there such a thing as a “synagogue of God” today? Is not the temple of the Holy Spirit today (1) the body of Christ, the Church (1 Cor. 12:13, Eph. 4:4) and (2) the individual believer (1 Cor. 3:16, 6:19)? When you see Scripture twisting like this it should make you suspicious that the source may be demonic, as adding or subtracting from the Word is one of the enemy’s major ploys.
Q: Why his power couldn’t have come from satan.
A: “If my power is from satan, it will be impossible for me to be continually and consistently working against satan, because satan is the source of AIDS, cancer and other deadly diseases which God has been using me to deliver people from. If satan is the source of my power, I cannot be working against him, because that will contradict what Jesus Christ said in the Bible that you cannot drive out demons by evil spirit.”
I would challenge the false assumption made here that satan is the source of ALL these diseases. The Bible is clear that sin (Rom. 6:23) caused a curse (Gen. 3:17) of disease and death to become a fact of life on earth. The enemy tempted Eve to sin, but it was Adam and Eve who sinned. That sin brought about death and decay (Rom. 8:21). Also, why would T.B. Joshua be working against satan if what he is doing is teaching false doctrine which only benefits satan? Signs and wonders do not prove that it is God that is working. The proof is in the teachings, both explicitly and implicitly, of people who claim to be miracle workers for God. To claim that something is of God by subjective means and erroneous arguments is to denigrate the truth of the Word. Evil spirits can depart or hide themselves when commanded to leave, even by Christians (Mark 9:29). If satan can accomplish his purpose of deceiving, even possibly the elect, by shuffling demon personnel around from place to place, why would he hesitate even one moment to do so? Satan is not going to PERMANENTLY command his demons to leave a person because that is against his purposes, but there is nothing stopping satan from shuffling them around (Luke 11:26).
Q: Men of God who are money conscious.
A: “A man of God who places emphasis on money or collects money from the people he heals or delivers will soon fall from grace to grass. Another thing is that when a prophet of God forms the habit of extorting money from those whom God healed through him or her, he or she becomes a partaker of their sicknesses, problems and tribulations.”
This is a real indictment against many people who are traveling to Nigeria to get the “anointing” from this guy including John Arnott of the Toronto “Blessing” who I am told has already been there. If the statement that these people should “fall from grace to grass” is true, we should have seen practically every televangelist fall into “grass” a long time ago. Wouldn’t it be a kick to see someone like Paul and Jan Crouch grazing in a field like Nebuchadnezzar? But as we know the wicked sometimes prosper (Jer. 12:1) and frankly they are all flourishing right now. Why? I believe these false prophets and healers are a judgment of God on those who call themselves believers in Christ. The question is: Who loves the truth of the Word of God? Here again we see another shamanic connection made by Joshua between taking money and getting sick and having problems and tribulations. I don’t see the money preachers today coming under this judgment but they seem to be healthy and running all over the globe to raise more and more money for satellites and private jets. The Bible places no such curse on people who love money, only that they will end up worshipping the god of mammon instead of the true God and be damned in eternity (Luke 16:13).
Q: The secret of his success?
A: “My critics and persecutors have made me to move closer to God, and to rely on Him absolutely. I know I have so many enemies and persecutors; hence I make God my shelter and Jesus Christ my only friend. As for worldly friends, I have none, because I know that sooner than later, they will disappoint me. I always strive to do the will of God, obey Him and follow His directions to the letter. This is why my divine power increases daily. I thank God for my enemies and persecutors, without them, I would not have come this far.”
We are not to abandon the fellowship of the body of Christ (Acts 2:42, Heb. 10:25), yet we have here a man who has no friends by his own admission. That is not a Christian witness at all! Also notice that he talks about “my divine power”. Is Joshua then “divine”? Is it truly his divine power? Should he not rather say that the power and glory belongs to Jesus Christ?
Q: Miracles and Faith?
A: “Many people clap their hands and applaud energetically when they witness a miracle. But it takes faith and divine intervention to say to the cripple: Rise up and walk in Jesus name.”
This is a true statement. But are these miracles of God or miracles of satan? All kinds of people use Jesus’ name these days but many will end up this way: “Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” (Matt. 7:22-23)
Q: God’s power and satan’s power.
A: “The power of God is used to glorify God and the power of satan to glorify satan.”
This is also true. That is why these miracles glorify satan because they lead people into false doctrines and occultism. No amount of the application of Jesus’ name can cover the false doctrines that you have already seen in this article.
Q: Righteousness and God’s blessing.
A: “You need to live a righteous life to enable you to claim your God-ordained blessing. Righteousness brings awareness of God’s blessing while unrighteousness blocks your channel of blessing.”
Are we saved on the basis of a righteous life? That is impossible. We are only saved by grace and nothing else. God is capable of prospering a sinner saved by grace as well as a wicked man. It’s up to the Lord. As Christians our goal is not seeking after blessings as much as coming into a relationship with the Father based on the blood of Jesus Christ in which He takes care of our needs. Many people from many religions have lived as righteous a life as possible on this earth. But if they die without Christ they will be judged on the basis of that righteous life, and not one of them will stand up to the righteousness of God and His Law. I don’t know about you but I put my faith in the substitutionary death and resurrection of Christ to provide me salvation, not in my righteous life to bring me blessings. I leave the blessings up to the judgment of God.
Q: The need to seek God first.
A: “First seek to know God, do His will and obey His commands. God is the source of all your worldly desires be it wealth, peace, happiness, good health and security. All you will ever need to live a successful life have been provided by God. The key to claim them is to seek first the kingdom of God.”
T.B. Joshua is here hawking the Word-Faith party line. Is God really just our butler in the sky awaiting our every whim and desire for “wealth, peace, happiness, good health and security”? I think not! We are to be servants of God and bring Him the glory, taking up our cross (even unto death) and following Him. We may ask, seek and knock but we don’t declare, summon and invoke! If a person is really seeking the kingdom of God (and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33)) he will seek the will of God as well which usually includes discipline from God to His children (Heb. 12:6). There is no secret Gnostic mystical “key” that causes God to rain down riches and health from on high. We are simply called to be faithful to God and allow Him to work out His purposes in our lives and the lives of those we minister to.
Q: Temptation and Destruction
A: “If you are not above temptation e.g, temptation of money, temptation of women, you are not above human destruction.”
No one is “above temptation”. We are all tempted (Matt. 26:41, James 1:13-15). Even Jesus was tempted (Matt. 4:1, Heb. 4:15). We are to pray that we are not led into temptation (Luke 11:4) but temptation will always be with us and God will make a way out of temptation and will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able (1 Cor. 10:13). The only way to rise above temptation is to not give into it and that can only be accomplished by submitting to Jesus Christ (James 4:7). Again we have another major doctrine being taught wrongly by T.B. Joshua.
Q: Uniqueness and Persecution.
A: “If you can do what thousands or millions of people around you cannot do, you need to watch your steps. People will persecute you. They will call you names. But if what you are doing, thousands around you can as well do it, then you will have no problem. You will have many friends. Nobody will be after you.”
Is T.B. Joshua again claiming he is the only person who can do miracles? What an ego! So now having friends is contingent on us all being able to do miracles, eh? I thought friendship was based on love, but then I guess I am old fashioned.
Q: False Prophets and Ministers of God.
A: “The Bible says that satan will come as an angel of light and his agents as ministers of righteousness. (11 Cor. I 1: 14) Be careful you are not deceived by the eloquent preachers and evangelists who can quote every verses of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. They may be agents of satan in disguise (11 Cor. I I: 14).”
Notice the subtle shift from the truth in the first part to a put down of those who teach sound doctrine in the second part of his answer. This is exactly the laying of truth alongside error that Peter warned us about (2 Pet. 2:1). T.B. Joshua is indeed an angel of light to those he heals, but along with those healings of dubious origin come doctrines of demons that can shipwreck your faith! Don’t ever belittle those who exegete the Word of God and proclaim the gospel and who memorize Scripture, T.B.!
Q: The cause of problems?
A: “The cause of problem is sin. When you don’t go into sin you don’t have problems. The more you go into sin the more problems you have. So sin is the food of satan, if you don’t give satan food he will not be feasting on you.’
Sin is not the food of satan, it is the result of the temptations of satan and his goal for every human being. Satan is a self-sufficient being that does not need our sin to survive. His rebellion against the Almighty God is enough to carry him along till the day of his destruction which was ordained from eternity past.
Q: Identifying False Miracle Workers and Genuine Ministers of God.
A: “I think we should leave that one to God who will separate the sheep from the goats at the appointed time. Though before God does the separation, there will be a lot of confusion but, He will do it at His own good time.”
God will indeed separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the chaff. But we are to separate ourselves from heretics now (Rom. 16:17, Titus 3:10, 2 Cor. 6:17)! It is people like T.B. Joshua who are causing the confusion. There would be no confusion if we didn’t have all these heretics running around confusing people.
Q: Living a fulfilled life?
A: “Spiritually speaking, every lack is hunger. Sickness, poverty and even death is hunger. And the permanent fulfillment of this hunger is an unconditional acceptance of Jesus Christ into your life. When Jesus lives in you, hunger, poverty and sickness will become thing of the past.”
This is simply Word-Faith false doctrine. God never promised us that “hunger, poverty and sickness” would be a thing of the past in this life. He gave us eternal life and abundant life here, but that sometimes includes hunger, poverty and sickness. How can this man from Nigeria say such a thing to the poor people that come to his meetings? What a slap in the face! Wouldn’t it lighten the load of many poor people in Africa if Joshua would stop handing them empty promises and allow the Lord to save them and do His work in their lives?
Q: The benefits of living according to God’s will?
A: “God is the source of all blessings, both spiritual and material blessings. For you to continue to enjoy God’s blessings, you must continually live according to His will and commands.
Remember, the moment you do anything in opposition to God’s commands, you strain your fellowship with God, thereby blocking your channel of blessing.”
Again we see clear Word-Faith false doctrines. I’m glad when I used to backslide into rebellion against God that He did not “block” His “channel of blessings” to me and reached out to me by the conviction of His Holy Spirit. What is more blessed than having God come after you when you are in sin? There is nothing in the Bible about any personal channel of blessing however. God is not some kind of giant television set in the sky. We are not going to “channel” our blessings from God either by any act of righteousness. God is sovereign. His grace is free and unmerited on our part. We are called to a life of righteousness, but not based on what we can get from God but on our relationship and love for Him. This Word-Faith stuff is completely humanistic – man based. It is all “What can I get out of this deal”. It’s truly sickening!
Q: Why some Ministers of God have lost their anointing and become powerless.
A: “The majority of men of God have brought problems upon themselves because of their greed for the material things of life. Many have lost their anointing while some have been demoted spiritually, because of their lust for money and other worldly things of life.
Those who make it a habit to collect money from the people God used them to heal or deliver should know that this is a breach of Christ’s command which says, “freely you are given and freely shall you give.” Spiritual gifts are not for self-glorification, but for the glorification of God.”
This is a good statement, with the exception of the underlined phrase. Are we supposed to apply some kind of man-centered business model to our Christianity whereby we can be “demoted” in spirituality? This is absurd. But the rest of the statement is an indictment against many of the preachers who are now flocking to Nigeria to see this guy. I would also like to know who has admitted that they lost their “anointing” because they fleeced the flock? I don’t see anyone who this has happened to at this point. You can’t lose the true anointing of the Holy Spirit unless you lose your faith in Him, and that can only happen once based on my reading of the Scriptures (Heb. 6:4-6). Is he then saying that those who have fleeced the flock are unregenerate and doomed to hell? Are they unregenerate or have they simply been demoted? You can’t have it both ways. Either you have the Holy Spirit or you don’t. A person can certainly shrink back from faith (Heb. 10:39) but I don’t see anything in the Word about being “demoted spiritually”. The lesson Jesus taught to the disciples in Mark 10:42-44 is not based on position and title but on function and aim. Those who would be leaders are supposed to be the servants of all. We don’t operate by a worldly pyramidic model but we work together side by side in furtherance of the kingdom of God.
Q: The carnally-minded people?
A: “The carnally-minded people are the preys of this world. They are susceptible to all evil attacks. For the agents of satan, to catch and destroy the carnally-minded people is as easy as catching a fly. The carnally-minded are the living dead among human beings, and they account for about 80% of the human population. They are the fornicators, the adulterers, the drunkards, the boastful, the mischievous and self-seeking people.”
Where does he come up with an 80% figure for unregenerate human beings? Also, it seems to me that his boast of casting demons out of 1000 half-fish half-human witches and warlocks is quite a boast. I hope he has his facts straight or else he might as well join the 80%.
Q: Effective Faith.
A: “Faith means the Word of God mixed with God’s Spirit. When you speak the Word of God and it is mixed with the Spirit of God, whatever you decrees comes to pass.”
This is pure shamanism and Word-Faith delusion. It is true that Jesus Christ is the Logos, the living Word. Every word out of His mouth was the Word of God. But the Word of God is not mixed with God’s Spirit, it is the Word spoken by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, not merely some force that can be mixed with anything. Only God can speak things into existence. If a prophet preaches the Word of God accurately then what he decrees will come to pass because it was already ordained by the Word of God. But people cannot just decide, based on some subjective experience, to declare something into existence. When you do that you open the door to demonic deception. This is faith in the force of faith, not faith in the person of Jesus Christ.
Q: True Born-again Christians?
A: “Whoever is born of God overcomes the world. A true born-again Christian is a river of life. Joy, goodness, love and peace flow from the one who has the Holy Spirit of God living in him or her.”
This is true, although not stated exactly this way in the Word. We are not some kind of gnostic river, but the fruit of the Spirit will be readily evident in the life of a Christian because of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We cannot impart anything of ourselves but we can preach the gospel, pray for people to be healed and have compassion and mercy on those less fortunate. The problem with the reference to “a river” is that it is tied to the concept of the “River” movement and the transferable impartation, etc.
Q: Why (do) Christians still have problems after accepting Christ?
A: “Some Christians still face serious problems after accepting Jesus Christ into their lives because they live like occasional Christians. They live for Christ today and tomorrow live for satan.
For any Christian to overcome always he or she must be a Christian always. A true Christian is not to do the will of God occasionally, but at all the time.”
The problem is that we cannot do the will of God simply by our own effort (Rom. 7:19-25), which this statement implies. It is good and right to live in obedience to God, but we need God’s help. This is not mentioned in his response. Without God’s help we will never be able to do His will, and certainly not “all the time”. For a Christian to overcome they must be more than merely “a Christian always” but must have faith (1 John 5:4).
Q: Making friends with the worldly people.
A: “Some people make many friends who will help them in times of trouble because they do not have Jesus to depend upon. If Jesus Christ is your friend, trouble will run from you.”
While we live in this world trouble will always be with us (Ps. 91:15, 2 Cor. 1:4). Just because we have a relationship with Jesus Christ does not mean trouble will “run” from us. Jesus Christ will protect us and not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear, but trouble will be with us until the day when Christ comes again. It is amazing to me just how few teachings people like T.B. Joshua seem to get right. But then if a person has another spirit it would be understandable.
Q: Why he has no bank account.
A: “I don’t save money in the bank because I am not thinking of failure. I believe the Grace of God in my life will continue to increase. The moment I start taking money to banks, then I’m thinking of failure. If you have faith in God to provide for your needs always, you don’t bother to save money in the bank. Personally, I strongly believe that God will always provide for all my needs till the end of the mission He sent me to accomplish. So there is no need for me to start saving for the rainy day. Why should I keep money in the bank while millions around me are suffering – can’t feed themselves and their families? There are millions of people around me who need financial help even to keep their bodies and souls together. I will definitely offend God if I don’t help these people but choose to save my excess in the bank.” [DTW note: I think it’s more because the authorities wont be able to track his finances]
This is admirable. We’ll keep watching and see how long this mood lasts. Probably not for long is my guess. But I admire his convictions to give money to the poor. I can only hope that continues. Just remember that Mother Theresa also gave her life to the poor, but her belief system was far afield from orthodoxy. What does it profit the poor to give them money without preaching the true gospel to them for the salvation of their souls? What does it profit a man to give his money to the poor having placed his faith in a different Jesus, a different gospel, a different Spirit?
Q: His unique divine personality.
A: “The divine person in me can do a million things simultaneously. I can appear to thousands people in their dreams in any part of the world to set them free of their sicknesses, problems and afflictions.”
This resembles closely what Maitreya has claimed he will be able to do. Maitreya says that he will appear on TV on his “Day Of Declaration” and everyone will hear him in their head without him audibly speaking. This is why I can’t help but think T.B. Joshua may be a good candidate for the False Prophet. And again we see the meglomaniacal dreams of this man! Can he document that he has done this? Most offensive in this statement is his claim of being able to do things by “the divine person in me”. Why didn’t he mention the Holy Spirit? Is T.B. Joshua divine now?
Q: Salvation?
A: “Salvation is by God’s grace. It is not for sale. You cannot buy the Kingdom of God with money.”
This is true. But then he adds requirements of works to this statement both explicitly in statements above or implicitly by what he does.
Q: Destructive Journalism.
A: “Frankly speaking, the majority of Nigerian journalists are not helping Nigeria. For it is unpatriotic to run down what can uplift one’s fatherland. The whites don’t do this kind of thing. What is happening here in The Synagogue today is enough to make Nigeria greater than Mecca or Jerusalem.The signs and wonders that God is doing here can turn Nigeria into the greatest Holy Land or Tourist Centre in the world. Rather than our journalists to encourage these good things they prefer to publish negative things about the church. However, I am not saying that all the journalists are bad, many of them are good, objective and highly patriotic.”
It is true that T.B. Joshua by reason of his demonic miracles has turned Nigeria into a Mecca. To compare Nigeria to Jerusalem, however, is ridiculous. Jerusalem is the center of Biblical prophecy for thousands of years, and for ages to come. T.B. Joshua is an egomaniac of mega proportions. He may well turn Nigeria into the latest destination for the spiritually confused. But like Brownsville and Toronto, Nigeria, too, will have it’s day and then fade. This too will pass.
Q: Why he usually gives money to those God used him to heal free of charge?
A: “Love without charity is no love at all. These people badly need help as most of them had spent all the money they had to procure cure for their respective ailments before God directed them here for their bearings. After being healed of their various afflictions some need to eat nutritional food, some need money to settle their outstanding house rents while some who had lost their jobs need to be rehabilitated. As a man of God I cannot close my eyes to their suffering. I have to do the little I can to help them out.”
This is admirable. Whether or not they have had true divine healing is a matter to test over the course of time. It is certain, however, that no Divine healing is coming from T.B. Joshua. If anyone is healed by God it is because God is merciful. On the basis of his heretical teachings, however, it seems far more likely that any “healings” are either snake oil or demonic healings.
Q: His Disciples/Aides’ Antecedents and Future.
A: “Some came because of one problem or the other while some came through God’s call, but at the end of the day, it’s not all of them that will be qualified. They will first serve as servants as Elisha served Elijah. Elisha went to Elijah to be his servant. From servant, if you are honest and obedient, it is left for God to choose you as a disciple. God will do the work of making you a disciple or a prophet, but my own is to train you as a servant of God.”
Apparently this is a warning to let people know that T.B. Joshua is the boss, and if anyone wants his “anointing” they had better bow down and be trained under Joshua. I think this is what they call “lording it over them” in the Word (Mark 10:42-43).
Q: Judging Others?
A: “If you judge your fellow being now who will judge them on the day of judgment? Always remember that we see things not as they are but as we are.”
This is ridiculous. God will judge in any case whether we judge or not. What T.B. Joshua ignores is that there are ways in which we ARE to judge. We are to judge what people teach (1 Cor. 10:15, Acts 17:11), judge between right and wrong morally (1 Cor. 5:11-13; Luke 12:57, 2 Pet. 3:17; John 7:24), and test the spirits (1 John 4:1). I hope everyone reading this article will test the spirit of T.B. Joshua and judge rightly! Also, if we are incapable of seeing things the way they are, then we are incapable of making any kind of decision or right judgment about anything in this world. Most importantly, we do not base our judgments as believers on our own ideas but on Scripture. Apparently T.B. Joshua judges everything by what he thinks and feels. If that is the case then he is the one who is truly “judgmental”.
Q: Forgiveness
A: “Forgiveness is a special gift of God, no one can receive it except by faith.”
I don’t see this statement in the Bible. Grace is a gift from God. Forgiveness is certainly an attribute of the Spirit but it is also something we must do. Otherwise why would we pray the Disciple’s Prayer and ask the Lord to “forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” (Luke 11:4) This is a dangerous prayer if we are not forgiving others. Forgiveness is not something we receive so much as a reflection of the changes brought about by the indwelling Spirit.
Q: Anointing
A: “There is no school for anointing, it is purely by God’s grace.”
Glad to hear this. For once he got it right. Then why is he likening Nigeria to Mecca where people are coming to sit under his teaching and anointing, etc.? Nice answer but it is not consistent with the rest of what he is teaching.
Q: Need to be careful about what one says?
A: “Beware of what you say because what you say may influence others.”
Nice saying. Now if he would just apply it to himself!
Q: On Miracles and Thanksgiving.
A: “The fact that God is using me to perform astounding miracles, signs and wonders does not mean that the other ministers of God are not anointed men of God or that their churches are not living churches. All fingers are not equal. If you have been lucky to receive your miracle here in The Synagogue Church, you are free to go back to your own church to give your thanksgiving to God, because the Body of Christ is one. All glory and praises belong to Jesus Christ who enables us to work miracles in His mighty name.”
Which Jesus Christ is he is talking about? Is this the one that guarantees healing, wealth and prosperity? Is it the same one who made fish people? Is it the same one who is mixed together with His Word? This it is not the same Jesus Christ of the Bible.
For more information on T.B. Joshua, read this rebuttal of the article “Miracle Man”by Bill Randles.
CONCLUSION
Perhaps T.B. Joshua ought to heed his own advice and keep God’s commandments in His Word starting with these:
Titus 1:9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
Titus 2:1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.
T.B. Joshua is obviously not teaching sound doctrine. In fact he is clearly teachings false Word-Faith doctrines as well as straight occultism. The Bible has a few things to say about people like T.B. Joshua:
2 Tim. 4:3-4 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-bringing swift destruction on themselves.
Matt. 24:23-36 At that time if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!’ or, `There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. So if anyone tells you, `There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, `Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
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Addendum 5/29/00: Since the time this article was written we have received more information about T.B. Joshua from a credible source in South Africa. The T.B. in T.B. Joshua stands for Temitope Balogun. We are still trying to find out if his name has any special meaning. He doesn’t answer questions about his background or himself. There are rumors that he grew up as a Muslim and that he isolated himself for 16 years, before he started his church. Asked about this, he says one must look at his ministry/services to see who he is. We will continue to try to verify this information. He believes sin causes illness. If someone is healed and become ill again, it is because the person has sinned again. He has no church council, elders or deacons. He says this would limit the grace of God that works through him. If he has no accountability as set forth in the Scriptures, the grace of God is useless to him and others he teaches. He prays over handkerchiefs, photographs and other personal belongings and ask people to take it home with them. Also over little bags of water, which are hand out at the church. According to one of his workers, these bags can also heal people. There were also reports that Joshua refers to the water in the bags as the “blood of Christ” and that people must suck on it. The conclusion is that those who are true believers should stay far away from this man who is a wolf in sheep’s clothing!
source: www.deceptioninthechurch.com/tbjoshua.html
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Strange, Unbiblical Practices by Joshua
By Bill Randles (excerpts from a letter to a South African newspaper on 02.05.01)
Abstract: The theology and practices of T.B. Joshua deviates radically from evangelical tenets.
In the light of the fact that we believe we are living in the last days before Jesus’ return, and that one of the warnings Jesus gave us was that immediately before that time there would arise on the scene “false prophets” who would be able to perform “signs and wonders…so that if possible they would be able to deceive even the very elect”, It is extremely important that we be all the more discerning… We must “try the Spirits to see whether they be of God”(I Jn. 4:1). There are several caveats I offer to those who are seeking discernment of these phenomena:
Born with the gift of healing. On a French television interview, Prophet Joshua said that he had received this ‘gift’ at birth. The true Gifts of the Spirit of God (see I Cor. 12-14) are not bestowed at birth to anyone, one must be converted to Christ, and even then the gifts are distributed “As the Spirit wills”.
Transubstantiation. On videotape distributed by the Synagogue of all Nations, A “Blood of Jesus” Service was shown. It consisted of the Prophet Joshua blessing a huge tank of water, touching each of twelve running spigots, proclaiming them to now be “the blood of Jesus”. The congregation was then shown rushing forward, pushing and pulling among themselves seeking to get to those spigots first, that they might drink, splash, and in some cases even shower in “the blood of Jesus”. This is perhaps the most disturbing aspect of it all, as it turns the Biblical doctrine of the blood of Jesus (His vicarious death) into a sensuous, superstitious experience. No Priest or Prophet can turn any substance into the blood of Jesus. That is more akin to paganism and magic than Christianity. The blood of Jesus was shed as a sacrifice to God the Father, not as a potion to be slashed and bathed in!
False separation between the Sheep and the goats. In addition to the other antics at the blasphemous “Blood of Jesus ” service, as the people pushed, pulled and shoved forward to participate in the so called blood, those who had “agents of Satan”, were put into a demonic frenzy, rolling on the ground, through the muck and mire (more on that next) screaming and moaning in agony. There is demon possession indeed, but one would look in vain anywhere in the scriptures to find any deliverance service remotely resembling this so called “Blood of Jesus” service. Joshua proclaimed this as the” separation of the sheep and the goats”, which actually takes place at the Judgment day.
Undignified practices. There is also a very undignified and even degrading aspect to these healings. When Christ healed it was all so dignified. True man is below, God is above, but man is not “Nothing”, He is made “In the Image of God”. In the Joshua videotape, released by the Synagogue, men with rectal cancer are asked to take down their pants, before others, both before and after the healing. A woman bares her breasts, one showing cancer, and stands before a mixed assembly in the agony of her pain. As the healing progresses, her breast is seen oozing puss and yellow bile into a pool on her dress and flowing into a puddle on the floor. People are seen “Vomiting their troubles away” on the floor, some vomiting blood, some rocks, shells, large worms, live insects, Where did Jesus or His apostles ever do any such things? Yes these stains can be seen on the floor, the very spots where people vomited blood, and where women are seen on camera passing bloody “fibroids” from between their legs! On this same floor, people are put into trances, laid out on that same floor, (One can see the spots) and in those trances many are seen rolling about among those spots.
Remote control. T.B. Joshua uses a technique called “remote control”, in which by hand motions, standing ten feet or so away from “patients” he manipulates their motions. By scooting his hands to the left, the patient seems irresistibly drawn to the left, and to the right, the patient goes to the right, by circling his hands, Joshua send the patient into a circle, often until they spiral out of control, falling into a dazed heap! This method once again is more akin to occult healing practices, than it is to the Majestic healing gifts of Jesus Christ. Another similar technique is called “point of contact”. For example, the bare breasted woman suffering in agony before the congregation, of a cancer, for her Joshua stands about 15 feet away, and rubs his chin vigorously, this is evidentially affecting her cancerous breast, by remote control. (See the healing of the woman with a blood problem for years, she only touched Jesus and was healed)
Calling Fire from heaven. Joshua has the power to call fire from heaven upon the body parts of sinning members of his congregation! A woman in the video is seen clutching her private parts in agony, (it seems to the mild amusement of others) as Joshua’s fire cleanses her of the sin. We are told in the book of Revelation that the false prophet calls fire from heaven to the amazement of those under the delusion
Strange beliefs. Joshua has strange beliefs, for example he is a vegetarian because he told an interviewer that many of the people he ministers to in the area of deliverance are “Half fish and half man”. In another interviewer he said that “the divine person” within him can appear to thousands simultaneously, even coming to them in their dreams! This is not Christianity!
Final remarks. In closing, I don’t pretend to know Joshua’s motivation; by all accounts he seems to be a very sincere man. However sincerity is no safeguard against deception. I am sure Edgar Cayce, Jean Dixon and countless other prophets, who by Christian, Biblical standards would have to be regarded as False, were equally sincere and unassuming. There are countless warnings in scripture about the emergence of False Prophets and teachers who, like Pharaohs magicians, withstood and hindered the true gospel by means of signs, wonders and miracles. Just because Joshua seems to be able to produce “results”,” He seems to have the goods”, it doesn’t mean we should go there, for the ends do not justify the means. Even the idea of having to go to Nigeria to receive a healing, or a miracle, or a Word from God, is unscriptural. “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.” He is as close to us today as our breath, for “Whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved”.
A response to Bill’s letter dated 26/2/01 titled: Rebuke of T.B. Joshua.
The following comment on a paragraph of Bill Randles’ letter (the one on remote control) was made by Alistair Mc Donald:
“This control in question is called ‘Mesmerism’. Certainly God’s word is true in Ecclesiastes 1:9 “…there is nothing new under the sun.” Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815) an Austrian physician termed this ‘animal magnetism’ He believed the human nervous system to be magnetized. He would wave his hands in front of the patient, believing that a magnetic force emanated from his hands. Other actions by Mesmer were laying on of hands or staring fixedly into the patient’s eyes. These methods enabled him to direct the movements and thoughts of his patients.
“‘Mesmerism’ has developed into modern hypnosis. Mesmer has been accredited as the father of hypnosis, as well as the father of the Christian Science church. I believe what brother Bill is commenting on is related to Mesmerism. Mesmer’s patients show similar characteristics of Joshua’s namely uncontrollable laughter, falling into trances, spasmodic jerks, rapid blinking, tears and hiccups.
“Mesmer was accredited with many healings through his methods namely fever, partial paralysis and various diseases. Note no patients left behind wooden legs, toupees or glass eyes!
“What has happened in the church today is that the watchmen have let the carnival showmen into the House of God. The showmen have entered with bibles in tow, preaching a different Jesus and are gaining masses through their lying signs and wonders.”
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Ehinmola Oriade Dennis (EoD)
How sure are you that you and T.B. Joshua are following the God of the Bible? If you do not know the genuine God of the Bible you will always follow false gods.
Are you a sheep of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, or are you following strangers? By the likes of your worshipful praise of T.B. Joshua I would say you are following a stranger and therefore you are NOT a sheep of Jesus Christ. You are the one who should repent.
[deleted by DTW]
If TB Joshua is not a true man of God, then who is a true man of God?? even Jesus Christ was doubted and killed because the ancient churches (just like you) found his miracles weird , mixing a saliva with sand to place on a blind man eyes and he regain his sight was also consider a shamanic act by the ancient , turning water into wine ( seems like a magic to the ancient) raising the dead with his hand seems like a remote control too, talking to a wave and the wave calmed, coursing an unproductive tree and it withered instantly, wine and dine with the short man Zacheous whom they see as a sinner, prostitute cleaning his leg with her tears etc..
TB Joshua has not not done the half of what Christ has done and mind you that he said we will do more than him, why do you people give glory to Satan and belittle God ? you believe TB Joshua miracle is not of God because you think its too much for God to use a mere mortal to perform such kind of miracle? whereas you believe Satan can easily do it using same mortal ..
Why not bring out time and write about those pastors buying 4-5 private jets and expensive cars and how materialism is depriving them from performing signs and wonders, or is it because Bible says that false prophets will rise and perform wonders for that reason signs and wonders are no longer good or from God??
This man you castigate, have you take your time to see the good side of him if the miracles he is performing is irritating you to the extend you considered it his bad side. he help both all religions , disables, orphanages, poor widows and widowers, deportees, bringing divorced/separated families together, some families where a private Jet pastors will tell a man that his wife is a witch and the family will divide , husband against wife, children against mother, is that the kind of Christianity you prefer?
A pastor with 5 private jets and yet still want his congregations to sow seeds with their one car, or watches, or phones or any of their valuables , are they better? POS is now in some churches you considered better than Synagogue where you can pay your tithes and offerings with credit cards are they the real men of God? a pastor putting on expensive golden jewelries and his wife flaunting around the pulpit as the wife of general overseer.
you guys need to repent and stop judging .. if shamanism can heal HIV/Cancer patient, barren conceived and give birth, helping the poor, delivering the evil possessed ,restoring peace and uniting some shattered home, then there is nothing wrong in Shamanism …. !!!!
Dear Ryan
You said “if shamanism can heal HIV/Cancer patient, barren conceived and give birth, helping the poor, delivering the evil possessed ,restoring peace and uniting some shattered home, then there is nothing wrong in Shamanism …. !!!!”
Well you said it :shocked: not me.
@Deborah, yes I said it because Shamanism is considered satanism and Satan does not do good deeds. but bad , he came to steal and destroy, Satan love to inflict pains on humanity not to deliver and save them..
Think twice before you condemn or judge !!
Ryan
Please read and learn.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
The evil that Satan does come disguised as ministers performing miracles to the point that even the Elect can be deceived. There is no good coming from TB Joshua, just evil disguised as good. People believe his lying signs and wonders and get trapped into a false doctrine/false beliefs that sends their souls to hell.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
See article: Can Satan heal?
By the way, TB Joshua is a multi-millionaire through and through, he receives so much money from people it’s not even funny. You believe the lie that he is poor? He is rolling in it. But his money making is not the point. It’s his lying signs and wonders and his witchcraft! The man is sick, disgusting and downright EVIL.
If he was such a powerful man of God why couldn’t his god kindly inform him his church building was going to fall down and kill over a hundred people. It appears his god if far more interested in forecasting the next soccer score than saving over 100 people’s lives.
@Deborah if TB Joshua is fake because of his sign and wonders who is then original ?? show me a pastor, prophet who is real, or are you saying that the time of signs and wonders are over??
Mind you, i have never seen anybody private parts at SCOAN or Emmanuel tv, people like you who love to doubt every of his miracle are being shown somethings to an extreme to be convinced because you doubt like Thomas, a former police man who undergo a surgery and was able to urinate again with his private part was shown but not fully shown using his private part to urinate again, it is for the people like you to see, he never touch women on their private parts and if he has done so can you send me the YouTube videos? if a woman is having a breast cancer , he uses the woman hand and place it on her breast and leave her and the miracle start taking place. yes he might be a multimillionaire but he is better than those pastors and bishops buying privates jets and asking for more from his followers until they are bankruptcy , at least he never hesitates to help those in need when came calling..
he will heal the sick and bless him financially to start a new life, when Jesus was preaching to the crowd , he noticed they were hungry, physical hungry , did he not feed them?? Life of Christ is what TBJ is living today, mind you, he is a human and not God, if God did not reveal to him that his hotel will collapse does that make him a false prophet? is he not going to die someday, is there any man who knows the date of his death? God is God, Jesus is God which some other religion do not even believe and that was why he was killed..
assuming TBJ used his saliva mixed with sand to heal a blind man, what will you say Deborah?? his saliva!!
you should also try and read: MATTHEW 23 : VS 34 and VS 37 -39
Dear Ryan 🙂
Have you actually read the above article?
You know who is really a man of God based on what they preach and believe. TB Joshua’s gospel is that of the Word of Faith doctrine; that faith is an actual force that you can manipulate with your words. So you can believe and speak things into existence. This is occult teaching. Occultists believe this. New Agers believe this, including Oprah Winfrey.
TB Joshua’s entire belief system is actually Roman Catholic. He says in the article above that “My God is a universal God”. This is Catholic, Catholic means universal, so his god is a Catholic God. A god that is currently uniting all so called ‘Christian’ faiths together under one mother church – a New World Religion. The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations is an interfaith church. In other words you can be any faith as long as you believe in ‘a’ God – doesn’t matter who that god is.
Do you believe a ‘man of God’ (Tb Joshua) and Jesus Christ for that matter (since you like comparing TB Joshua with Jesus) would say this: “There is no Deity but Allah”. Now it is true that there is only one God, but He is one God in Three Persons…Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The “god” of Islam is a false God. There is only Allah. The Quaran also emphatically states that “God has no son”. That cancels out both the Son and the Father, as without a Son there is also no Father, and of course no Holy Spirit. TB Joshua denies Jesus Christ the Son of God and has replaced him with ANOTHER Jesus, the Roman Catholic Jesus – that forever hangs on a cross being crucified over and over and over again.
2 Corinthians 11:4 “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”
In the bible there was a man named Simon Magus, he was a magician and supposedly converted to Christianity. The Apostle Peter confronted him one day (Acts 8:9–24) because Simon Magus wanted to buy the Holy Spirit from the Apostles to use for his own gain. It’s called the sin of Simony where you use the Holy Spirit as a performing seal to make miracles while people pay you. Of course it’s not the Holy Spirit but a false Unholy Spirit performing signs and wonders. Simon Magus was so successful in the magical arts he went to Rome wooed the Romans with his tricks and in the end was deified and a God and worshiped and he started the Roman Catholic Church – an amalgamation of heathen religions and Christianity. https://www.discerningtheworld.com/2017/03/20/simon-magus-apostle-simon-peter/
This is the same religion that TB Joshua follows – Roman Catholicism.
” I will carry on EXPOSING THIS FALSE TEACHER” why criticisms. You lack Faith my Dia because you would have prayed for him instead of judging.
If Jesus was misunderstood, even when he was supernatural, why not TB Joshua, what do human beings want? anyway, they are evil Pharisees who had low faith. remember TB Joshua cannot be perfect but He has tried his best to do God’s work. what Legacy will you leave?
Juliet Muhindo
I can understand why you so brazenly compare TB Joshua with Jesus Christ. It is on record that when TB Joshua rebuked a demon in a woman he asked the demon “Who am I” and the demon answered “You are Jesus Christ.” Instead of denying it, TB Joshua accepted the demon’s testimony and even told others who were present, “Did you hear what he said?” He once stated during an interview that he was sent to earth to save the world and added, “The divine person in me can do a million things simultaneously. I can appear to thousands of people in their dreams in any part of the world to set them free of their sicknesses, problems and afflictions.” That’s pure blasphemy. On some of the paintings depicting Jesus in the Synagogue TB Joshua’s face is clearly discernible.
Read this article: https://www.discerningtheworld.com/2009/05/26/t-b-joshua-the-deceiver/
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)
My Dia … :laugh:
Yes my Dia, I saw that and actually read it a few times…then…chuckled silently :giggle:
Is David in trouble with Juliet Muhindo
>>>You lack Faith my Dia because you would have prayed for him instead of judging<<<
Psalm 139:19-22
"O that Thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God; depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. For they speak against Thee wickedly, and Thine enemies take Thy name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate Thee, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against Thee? I hate them with the utmost hatred; they have become my enemies…
I found the ministry of Prophet T.B. Joshua by “accident” while visiting Africa (Zambia) in 2009. I was quite judgmental of the person, as I have never seen him before in my entire life and only became familiar with him and his ministry via TV while in Africa.
However, to my SHOCK God used that ministry to grant me MIGHTY answers to my prayers using my laptop or cell phone. I had never received such type of immediate answers to any of my prayers in the past…so I knew immediately after my first miraculous event related to this ministry that God without a shadow of a doubt was using them!!!!! So you psycho’s who say God is not using the SCOAN are all mentally sick and completely deceived…. and I am sure yours would be the last “church” on my list I would ever visit if I had any serious life issue that needed to be sorted out!!!!! God Bless the Ministry of Prophet T.B. Joshua in Lagos Nigeria!!!!!!! THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!!!
Kerry McElwain.
So, what is so unique about that? God even uses Satan to his glory. Have you read Job? You are free to follow TB Joshua, with your laptop and phones and the lot. Just watch out for TB Joshua viruses. They are everywhere.
Sharon wrote:
WorldNetDaily is a satire and conspiracy theory pusher all to the advantage of their twisted site owners! How’s that working out for you and anyone else that President Obama was the Anti-Christ?? Lmao YEAH RIGHT! You might we’ll be advised to keep your fingers off the keyboard just like you keep your mouth shut instead of being Gossip Granny running your mouth telling LUES that you have not verified before telling it! Just because it’s written on the Web and Internet don’t mean it’s TRUE!
Jay, Are you also living in fantasy land?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47JmO28nYxU