Prophecies seem to have replaced the major Christian doctrine of Salvation. And so in Ghana today, there are some of such who tout themselves as the Nation’s Prophets. Paradoxically, the main of their prophecies, centre on partisan politics.
These Prophets were at their wits-end trying to out-shine each other with their prophetic prowess even in far-away American election of November 3rd, 2020.
Ahead of the Ghana’s December 7th, 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, even the placement on the ballot become a prophetic battle-ground, where prophets of that faith showed off their forte in the prophetic ministry.
The latest prophecy that has potential of stoking Muslim-Christian tension is the one by Rev. Owusu Bempah, that insinuated God’s abhorrence of a Muslim president in Ghana.
Interestingly, same Owusu Bempah, in an earlier prophesy stated boldly that the sitting Vice President, Dr. Alhaji Mahmoud Bawumia is God’s anointed to succeed current President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
A section of Muslim group has emerged, giving Owusu Bempah, a 72hour ultimatum to withdraw his latest prophecy about the Vice President. It’s as if spiritual issues are just induced human decisions and desires.
Perhaps, Owusu Bempah opened himself up for the Muslim demands. This is a Prophet who has given the impression that he is so powerful to communicate with God to alter prophecies.
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He gave that indication in the run-up to the Ghanaian election where he jumbled a number of prophecies; first predicting an Akufo Addo win; later expressing anger at God for changing His (God’s) earlier decision; and stated later that Akufo Addo would be the winner of the election.
He together with those of his ilk did same in both the Ghanaian and the United States elections. It just so ended that most of these prophets are fake, incoherent and deceitful. The outcome of the US election did not only present how these Prophets engage in guessing and mind-games; but also offered a test of one’s self-inclined faith and others, whose beliefs are influenced by what their Prophets prophesy to them on altars.
The overwhelming prophetic favourite-Donald John Trump lost the US elections in an unimaginable precedent. Joe Biden, the spiritual underdog, won 306 electoral college votes, as against Trump’s 232.
Reverend Owusu Bempah, the Founder and Leader of the Word Power Ministries International led the team of God’s most anointed with the gift of reading into the unknown, prophesying that Donald John Trump would win a second term of the American presidency.
His followers believe it’s another of the Owusu Bempah’s prophetic master-stroke, coming on the heels of a number of prophesies that Owusu Bempah’s congregants believe, their renowned Pastor had made in the past; and which outcome they believe, came to pass.
Such “prophetic truthfulness”, his followers claim, has resulted in this alias being prefixed to his name: “The Nation’s Prophet”, Owusu Bempah. Rev. Owusu Bempah was emphatic that incumbent Donald Trump will be the victor in the US election.
When Trump’s chances begun diminishing as the results of the American elections started trickling in, Bempah’s prophetic narrative also begun to change, just as that of other so called revered Prophets of God.
It started this way: Donald Trump picks up the earlier votes and Bempah was at his bragging best, touting his prophesy about Trump retaining the Oval Office; the dynamics changed with Joe Biden’s penetration into and beating Trump in traditional strongholds of the Republican party; and Bempah comes to espouse some biblical jargons to confuse unsuspecting minds about his limping and impaired prophesy.
Biden won and declared President-elect. Owusu Bempah came back denying the fact that he betted on a Trump second term. In doing so however, he only stoked further the public mockery of such fake prophecies.
There is also the Prophet Nigel Gaisie prophecies in the run-up to the to the US election.
He was also one of the Pastors who made public prophetic endorsement of a Trump second term win.
At the start of the count and with a Biden victory just a matter of time, Nigel came back to tell Ghanaians that Trump would lose the 2020 election, but will bounce back strongly in 2024. There were others, relatively unknown who made similar prophetic Trump win.
But the most confused one came from Prophet Badu Kobi, the General Overseer of the Glorious Wave Church International, where he tried albeit vague, to sound philosophic, telling his congregation that Biden will win; but Trump will still be the President.
This is because in the estimation of the “man of God”, Trump has a steeled character as compared to the weaker Biden.
Nigerian Prophets
In neighbouring Nigeria, the prophesy of Prophet T.B. Joshua, the General Overseer of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, on the US election was coated with some nebulous interpretations that did not meet the ordinary eye and understanding.
It only sounded like advocating a Trump victory. The writer believes T.B Joshua deliberately made such an open-ended prophesy to offer him a window of opportunity to justify his prophesy no matter how the outcome of the election would be.
When Trump was up to his antics, which virtually set the world on the edge, TB Joshua, this time openly stated that the US election was going to be tight; Trump will not accept the verdict and all manner of interpretations.
But this is exactly what had played out during the early days of the ballots counts. So why will T.B. Joshua come out to confuse us about what we were all seeing happening, when his earlier prophesy on the election, failed to predict anything close to what we experienced happening?
Replacing Christian doctrine/beliefs with prophesies
Many faiths ascribe to prophecies. That’s why Christians till today believe some of the prophesies that were fulfilled in the Bible can be re-enacted in our contemporary spiritual circumstance.
So is the Muslim faith and others. There are even fortune tellers, sorcerers, who all can foretell what is about to happen in the future. It’s therefore not out of place for prophecies to a part of our spirituality. In doing so, they all forgo Salvation, the very foundation of Christianity.
Nigerian Pastor, Chris Oyakhilome of the Christ Embassy Church, attributed the success of Biden to a possible over-whelming votes of un-believers. The renowned man of God was easily making reference to the controversial same sex union that is virtually tearing the word apart and how such practitioners would prefer voting for Biden, who believes the practice is an in-alienable rights of the practitioner.
Joe Biden’s Democratic party is in favour of same sex marriage because they feel any human being should aspire to what their beliefs and aspirations are. Simply, they should have their own choices without any form of suppression, while Donald Trump’s Republican Party is vehemently against the practice.
It’s one issue that has torn the world apart, setting especially, Christians on warpath against believers of same-sex unions. The Catholic Church is more divided on the issue. Unfortunately, proponents of same sex marriages are some of the most powerful, influential and wealthy individuals in the world.
Prophetic antics and the reality check
Indeed, Pastor Chris has spoken the minds and wishes of many Pastors. Some are seriously against Biden because of the Democratic Party’s liberal stance on homosexuality.
To them, such practice is repugnant to the human race and with the influence and position of America in global matters, such abnormal practice may come to take over the world.
Clearly, the American election became a global rallying point for religious leaders to campaign against a Biden candidacy, because he is considered as high priest of homosexuality. So it became the finest opportunity for some Pastors who obviously were against Biden to twist the minds of their congregants on homosexuality with some prophetic colouring.
With religion considered the opium of the masses, often words that come out from pastors are considered to be the truth and sacrosanct. Some pastors therefore took advantage of this siege mentality to make all kinds of weird prophesies and propositions.
So quite simple. Many pastors who were rooting for Trump therefore tried to create a spiritual scare into American voters and their own to avoid bringing into the Oval office, one of the chief exponents of homosexual practice; in this case, Joseph Biden.
Others like Badu Kobi, posited a very cunning and ambiguous prophesy. His prophesy was such that whatever the outcome of the American election was going to be, none could rule out the fulfillment or truism of his prophesy.
Otherwise, what is the issue that Biden will win; but Trump will rule. He says that without any further or detailed explanation; only to further confuse his congregation that his prophesy shows how strong Trump is; and Biden, weaker.
That’s the usual mind-games that our Prophets play. It’s also a way of getting their followers accept their so-called deep spirituality; baffle and easily cajole them into accepting their so-called spiritual purity.
In that state of sieged mentality, many in Christendom and other faith seem to operate on an auto pilot; not having a mind of their own; than to succumb to the direction of their Pastors or Prophets.
With some Ghanaians alluding to a possible enactment of the American election outcome in Ghana’s December 7th elections, although not scientifically proven, Owusu Bempah’s prophesy on the American election, it can be deduced, was a weird prophetic card he played, believing that a Trump triumph will have a positive psychological impact on Akufo Addo’s re-election.
And so as it didn’t turn out that way, he had to manufacture all manner of reasons for his botched prophesy. Owusu Bempah and Nigel Gaisie represent those who are so consumed in worldly politics that they can sacrifice spiritual truth to white-wash gullible voters to vote in a certain direction.
Source: Today Newspaper