The Ukraine war and pastors weaponizing 'touch not my anointed'
There is a rumor in Nigeria among Christians that God brought war to Ukraine as a punishment on the land for the sin of Pastor Sunday Adelaja, the senior pastor of Embassy of the Blessed Kingdom of God For All Nations, for criticizing Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, who is the pastor of Christ Embassy. Many of us were worried about how such blasphemy can be spoken against God by those who are supposedly called by His name.
When I investigated to find out the source of this rumor, I stumbled upon a video clip where Pastor Chris Oyakhilome was addressing his congregation. According to him,
"Just about two years ago, Ukraine was one of the most beautiful cities where God was doing amazing work for the Gospel, there was a minister of the Gospel there that God was using mightily. In fact, he was the pastor of the largest church in Europe."
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He went down memory lane and told his congregants about his encounter with Pastor Adelaja many years ago.
He went further to tell them how Pastor Adelaja started criticizing him and how the war in Ukraine broke out because of the criticism.
"But just in the last few years I started hearing that he left his ministry to set up a ministry on Pastor Chris. All he could think about was every evil thing that he could say about Pastor Chris. I heard about it and said, 'Lord! What is the matter with him? What is he doing? How could he leave aside the beautiful ministry that you gave him and descend on Pastor Chris?' Incidentally, everything he was saying about Chris was a lie! And the Lord said, 'Leave him alone! He has corrupted his ways.'"
Pastor Chris told his people how he perceived danger that would result from what Pastor Adelaja was doing, "I became very concerned because I knew that spelled trouble. I knew that he has a whole nation that God put before him to stay focused [on]. Had he stayed [focused] on the truth and in direction of the spirit, this war would not have happened." According to Pastor Chris, it is not about Putin, Zelensky, or even the United States, but the war in Ukraine happened because Pastor Adelaja criticized him.
The words "touch not my anointed" have been weaponized by pastors throughout other African nations, but especially Nigeria. Their goal is to make sure that no one says anything against them even when they are doing wrong. The anointed in my continent have the right to do whatever they like and preach unbiblical sermons. Due to the iron grip of "touch not my anointed," many African Christians are living in tremendous fear. Pastors preach and teach the scriptures with heavy doses of fear and manipulation, and they push their congregants to remain loyal even when they are being led astray.
I personally have written and commended Pastor Adelaja for the good work of exposing lies and manipulations from the pulpits, but advised him to focus on doctrinal correction and stop attacking the personalities of these pastors. The truth remains that many of these pastors have done more harm than good and have blindfolded their followers through false teachings, wicked indoctrination, brainwashing, as well as diabolical manipulations.
The weapon of threat has become a tool of coercion in our churches and many of these pastors who are involved in this practice believe that fear is the key that unlocks the wallets of congregants. It is well known that a renowned pastor in Nigeria once threatened his followers to pay their tithes or go to hell. I have also heard another pastor threaten his followers that they must pay their tithes if they do not want to bury their children.
Whenever anyone says that these utterances are evil and unbiblical, loyalists of these men attack and quote Psalm 105:15, "Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm." Should we all keep quiet and allow these pastors to keep people in perpetual bondage, or should there be some people who will rise and condemn this evil in our churches today? According to Pastor Adelaja while responding to Pastor Chris:
"This is the best illustration of master manipulators to signal to others never to dare criticize them, hence they are the favorites of God. Otherwise God will send a war to you and you’ll lose everything like the pastor in Ukraine. This is what they use to keep people in the cage of church and religion. These guys have institutionalized fear as the most effective instrument to keep themselves relevant. This is a confirmation to all my messages about the Gods of men behind our pulpits in Africa. Our so-called men of God are only building their own empires, what they practice is a return to paganism and syncretism. I have and will not change my stand even if more horrible wars against me [come, it] can’t change that position. The African Church needs a total restructuring."
While the principle of "touch not my anointed" is true, let us not wield it as a weapon.
Oscar Amaechina is the president of Afri-Mission and Evangelism Network, Abuja, Nigeria. His calling is to take the gospel to where no one has neither preached nor heard about Jesus. He is the author of the book Mystery Of The Cross Revealed.
