“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matt. 24:24, NKJV)
In the previous teaching we explained that there are aspects of the Nigerian faith healer T.B. Joshua’s ministry which should cause great unease with believers. It is important to consider this manifestation of a familiar spirit from a purely Biblical perspective.
More than ever Hos. 4:6 is true of the contemporary church: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge …” Because the gift of discernment is no longer really practised in the church, mostly as spiritual leadership and authority is lacking, the false foundations of our spiritual life are not dealt with, and so the children of God are horribly deceived. The implications of this is far reaching. Prov. 14:12 makes it clear: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
1 John 4:6 makes a distinction between the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception. It is not always easy to discern between these two, especially since the lie is packaged in such attractive terms. Also because the spirit of deception has such creative power with which it mimics the miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, perhaps the salient characteristic of the familiar spirit. In 2 Thess. 2:9-10 we are warned that Satan, as an angel of light, will launch an onslaught marked by “all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception”. Christians often believe that all miracles originate from God. Scripture states that false miracles will be the way in which people are misled. For instance – “For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” (Rev. 16:14).
There are many elements of TB Joshua’s ministry that speak of a different spirit. What follows is not judgment of a person, as God alone can judge anyone (Mat. 7:1), but a testing of the spirits (1 John 4:1), which is the responsibility of every believer. We do not have the space to discuss every element in detail, but the following fundamental problems can however be highlighted. Most of these examples are documented, although a few of the examples were orally verified through interviews with experts on the matter:
- In a television interview Joshua noted that he received his gift at birth. The gifts of the Spirit of God (according to, amongst others, 1 Cor. 12 & 13) are not bestowed on people in the New Covenant at birth. In the New Covenant you must first be born-again, and even then gifts are extended by God through his Spirit according to His own choosing.
- In a newspaper interview Joshua made the following statement: “I was sent to earth to save the world.” We cannot be saved through any other person but Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
- Joshua’s claim that “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,” creates the impression of a saviour figure with supernatural qualities. With this he also justifies the fact that he levitates, an activity that is only practised in the kingdom of darkness.
- Apart from his name, a translation of the word Jesus, Joshua is addressed as Immanuel (God is with us) by everyone at The Synagogue. On the first official video by The Synagogue the song ‘Emmanuel, our God is with us’ is looped whilst the camera focuses on various healings taking place. The impression of Joshua being likened to Jesus is explicitly created.
- On the paintings in The Synagogue that depict Jesus, Joshua’s face is clearly recognisable. (Almost reminding of Leonardo da Vinci who painted himself into The Last Supper.)
- When a demon was recently driven from a woman, Joshua asked the demon, “And who am I?” The demon answered, “You are Jesus, the Christ.” Joshua laughed, called others closer, and said, “Hear what this demon says.”
- Joshua’s background, conversion and the process of being born again, and his spiritual beliefs, cannot be verified, despite explicit (and even international) requests for it.
- There are well-founded claims that he is an acolyte of the occult Nigerian spiritual leader named Leader Olumba Olumba Obu, the so called Sole Spiritual Head of the Universe. This witch doctor, who alledges that he is the incarnated Holy Spirit, has a worldwide ministry which is a syncretic mixture of the Christian faith, animistic religions, Hinduism (especially reincarnation) and Islam.
Joshua is in no way acknowledged by the Nigerian network of Christian churches, nor does he work with any of them.
- The Nigerian leaders of the influential Intercessors for Africa (from The Africa House of Prayer) and The Redeemed Christian Church of God in Nigeria, claim that he is not born again, but a medium who employs occult powers.
- Joshua’s practice of once a month blessing a large tank of water, thus changing it to the blood of Jesus, is one of the most serious deceptions. Transsubstantiation, which originates in the Roman Catholic tradition, alledges that after a priest has performed his rites, the bread becomes the actual body of Christ and the wine his actual blood. Joshua takes this a step further by alledging that he turns water into the blood of Jesus. People trample each other in trying to get as much water on themselves as possible, diving into it. In the process demons manifest. Most guests from South Africa were given sachets of holy “blood” to drink whilst at The Synagogue. It is impossible to change water into the blood of Jesus. That Christians accept this in such an easy manner and actively participate in what is happening, clearly shows that there is a spiritual blinding that takes place as soon as you expose your spirit to these sorts of deceiving spirits. Clearly this water has important supernatural power. Often pilgrims are asked to take off all their clothes and then wash themselves with this lukewarm anointed water
- Other statements, such as that Joshua is a vegetarian as he also practices his ministry of deliverance for people who are “half fish and half human”, should also trouble believers.
- It is interesting that the prophet’s prayer mountain is built on a swamp. In traditional African cultures sangomas often work with water to enable healing through powers that originate in water spirits. In the so-called white garment churches (which The Synagogue can also be classified as), these kinds of miracle healings are not unknown. People pray over the water, it is contaminated with demonic water spirits, and the occult power is used to perform miracles – but comes at a price. Spiritual authority and power is obtained by keeping to certain conditions and bringing certain sacrifices.
- Through hand and foot movements, Joshua controls the movement of those around him. When he moves his hand, the person moves in that direction. When he moves his hand in a circular direction, the person starts turning around and around, until he falls to the floor. This is certainly a non-Biblical practice. It corresponds with occult black magic, not with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Healing, according to the Word, must be accompanied by the laying on of hands by elders or a person who has received the gift of healing. Demons are not driven out by spiritual remote control.
- The Synagogue is filled with quotes from the Bible, but also from the Quran. On one of these posters the following disconcerting statement is openly made: “There is no deity (God) except Allah.”
- Is the issue at stake there that of syncretism, of a mixture of religions and superstitions, merely packaged at Jesus? One wants to ask of which Jesus is spoken of here, as there are clearly other meanings that are attached to traditional terms. Who is the Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus in this theology?
- There are many other questions. What perhaps bothers me most is the fact that follow-up reports of people who have visited Joshua and whom were prayed for, who sipped unholy water and who were told that they are healed. In many no healing took place. Others paid a big price – a string of accidents, other illnesses, strange behaviour, depression, sins over which they had triumphed again returning, a spirit of rebellion. And perhaps the most dangerous – the inability to pray and hear the voice of God.
It is sad that the true power of God that still saves, heals and delivers has been made ridiculous in the eyes of the world, that the true revival is kept away because of this. The Joshua-debacle has also pointed out that very few of the spiritual leaders have any solid spiritual discernment. And someone needs to ask – how many church leaders are walking around with the same spirit Joshua has, that he has transferred to them? And how many believers have been affected by this?
- Selah: If you had any involvement (of a primary or secondary nature) with TB Joshua’s ministry, it is very important that you deal with it.
- Read: 1-9
- Examine the OT-typology: Rev 9:4 (Tip: Ezek. 9:4 & 6).
- For a deeper understanding: Read Gungor’s book Religiously transmitted diseases.
