By
Dr. Theophilus Taiwo Ajose.
Prophetic/Warfare Intercessor
PhD (Christian Education), D.CTh (Doctor of Christian Theology; USA)
Lagos State Director and Deputy Director (South West)
Directorate of Politics and Governance (DPG),
Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).
President, Organization of Christians In Democracy (OCD)
Presiding Bishop, Bishop Ajose Ministries; USA & Nigeria
POLITICAL THEOLOGY: The Mystery of Nigeria Church Fathers’ Silence!
“…there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.” Revelation 8:1b;KJV
The mystery and power of silence was brought to an ineffable dimension in the above scripture when we consider the fact that heaven is a place of constant, round-the-clock sounds, worships and praises; for the angels “rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” (Rev. 4:8).
Why was there silence in heaven? What suspended praise and worship in heaven? What suspended the giving of God the glory, adoration, thanksgivings and blessings due His Holy Name?
Well, this is a mystery I’ve ministered many times (“When Heaven Is Silent”) but my focus this time around is the palpable silence of Nigeria Church fathers at a time of intense, opposing noises in the political space of the Nigeria nation; a time when the nation, albeit all believers are waiting to hear the Voice of God through His chosen prophets, a time where there is a dire need for divine direction in the political paradigm that faces our nation.
In my series on Political Theology, a lot of issues and challenges facing the Church in Nigeria today crossed my mind. One of such issues is the silence of Nigeria Church Fathers. In fact, when they talk, it seems they do not really say anything! What happened Lord?
The apparent silence or seeming helplessness of the Church, in coming up with a covert or overt voice direction on the political drama happening in the nation of Nigeria, has become a thing of superficial embarrassment to all well-meaning believers. This has created three camps of “Apollo,” “Paul” and Christ, all convinced in the reality of their different positions.
As I pondered on this situation, I communed with the Holy Spirit and informed Him that a direct and unambiguous voice direction from the church fathers in Nigeria, judging by the grace and enormous influence they wield, would have gone a long way in reshaping the amoebic political situation in the country.
(It can be stupid at times when you begin telling the all-knowing God what to do (!); “who has ever directed the Spirit of God(?)” but then, the situation facing the Nigeria nation today can unknowingly make the most ardent believer or prophet move off tangent with the Holy Spirit!)
In the study of speed, velocity and acceleration, there’s what is called scalar quantity - a quantity that has magnitude but no particular direction; a quantity that has magnitude and acts in a particular direction is described as a vector quantity.
Hence, it looks as if the Nigerian church has become a “political scalar quantity”!
The “marketplace” talk in the mouths of most people are: Why are the church fathers silent? Have they been silenced? Have they been compromised? Are there personal or vested interests? Are they under any blackmail? The questions are endless!
Words of exasperation, enragement and frustration can be heard loudly from our teeming youth population and politically restive and twitchy believers.
What readily comes to mind is the prayer of petition by prophet David to the Lord:
“We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.” Psalm 74:9
It was amid reasoning with the Lord concerning all these (Isaiah 1:18) that, suddenly, the true scenario of events happening now in the nation was unveiled to me by the Lord; the mysterious divine blueprint setting the stage for the Divine Plan of God for Nigeria was unfolded, to be decoded by those “who have ears to hear what the Spirit says to the Church.” Rev. 2:29
Our Nigeria church fathers have truly and faithfully led and uplifted the Church to a high pedestal of relevance, well-noted authority, social transformation and political dexterity. They have taken the church to a level where the church can no longer be ignored at any level of our national discourses, thanks to the Church fathers!
They have weathered many political storms, government blackmails and spiritual rebellion to give the church a befitting place in the nation. World-class educational institution, medical facilities, architectural masterpieces and human capitals have been produced by the Nigeria church for the nation and the world to see.
As rightly said by Isaac Newton, “If I’ve seen any further, it’s by standing on the shoulders of giants.” The Church fathers are kingdom giants who have produced many great men and women in the political, social, financial and spiritual strata of the nation.
However, precipitously and impulsively, there came a silence from the church fathers as the Lord of hosts takes over the practical fulfillment of the prophetic destiny of Nigeria. His choice prophets and leaders were placed on siopao phimoō (involuntary stillness and muzzle of the mouth). These were the Greek words our Lord Jesus Christ used to cause a sudden silence (rebuke) of the storm in the Book of Mark 4:39, which was translated as “Peace, be still.” Siopao phimoō in the Greek context, as used by the Lord, means to be dumb but not deaf! Too much noise is the bane of the Nigerian Church and Prophets. Silence doesn’t mean the prophets are no longer hearing from God, but God has placed a siopao phimoō decree on their mouths! Peace Be Still!! Be Still And Know That I AM God Almighty!!!
God is not a God of the North, South, West or East. He is God Almighty!!!
“Don’t reduce Me to a regional or tribal God, Nigeria is a creation of my hands!!”
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” Psalms 90:2
The political paradigm must shift from what used to be to what must become. That is the only way that the nation can have a glorious life. At critical times, we must do the right thing. We cannot look at what happened at the 2015 and 2019 elections to determine what will happen in 2023. We need discernment and sensitivity of the Spirit to navigate through the thick political darkness that pervade our nation. Many well-respected servants, prophets and intercessors of the Lord have also fallen into the trap, deceit and lies of the Prince of Nigeria because they are now walking by sight and not by faith. To them, the future is gloomy!
John Dewey rightly said, “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children(clients) of tomorrow.”
As watchmen, when we stand upon the watchtower of Nigeria, we must see the whole geographical and demographic scape of Nigeria as the Lord sees it. This is where the Nigeria church is missing the mark and we start seeing regional, geographical and demographic visions and prophecies!
The 2023 transition mystery (or is it election?) is not about the North versus the South or Christianity versus Islam! That’s the veil of lies the Prince of Nigeria has put over the people!
The Church, which should be fully aware of the redemptive purpose of Nigeria, and download divine political manna for the people to see and eat what the Lord has not released before, is now busy releasing sentimental and psychological political prophecies, moving the church to be compassing round about political Mount Seir! Movement is not progress, activity is not productivity, it is the fervency of the Spirit which avails much!
The generation that must eat the fruit of the land must of necessity firstly eat the manna (Joshua 5:12). Manna, the bread of heaven (John 6:31) must be eaten before the fruit of the land.
This is the reason why the Siopao phimoō command was issued from the divine enclave. Those who decided to violate this divine command are now opening themselves up to ridicules and indignation in the land.
Anytime the Lord wants to enforce His will and purpose to bring about unprecedented divine change, experiences and direction, He releases the Siopao phimoō order. “In quietness and resting shall be your confidence.”
The next three (3) imperative and dispensational political moves of the Almighty God in the nation of Nigeria, starting from 2023, in realigning the reign of power will stun even the Prince of Nigeria (the Satanic principality), whose duty it is to frustrate divine purpose in Nigeria.
The silence of the Church fathers was a divine restraint in response to the prayers of His people as we see in the “mystery of silence” in the first verse of the eighth chapter of the Book of Revelation. Amid the rapt silence in heaven, the angel of intercession entered the divine atmosphere with the prayers of the saints mixed with divine incense in the golden censer; judgment time has come! The reverberation of the answers to the prayers on the earth resulted in “voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.”
Some shakings are about to come upon some things and people in the political entity called Nigeria; the political narratives are about to change, not with the noises, campaigns, exchanges of money and rallies all around, but with “voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake” coming from the Throne Room of God upon the nation
This is what the sovereign Lord of Nigeria says, “All the personalities, institutions and political parties which dot the national and political landscape of Nigeria, and who are elevating themselves as the hope and messiah of Nigeria, shall soon fade away, they shall soon be a thing of the past, you shall carefully look for them and not find them.”
However long the night the dawn will break. “Abraham Hicks said, “The greater part of us is non- physical.”
Our hope is so high, yet our Hope is Jesus Christ!
Those “who have ears to hear what the Spirit says to the Church.” Rev. 2:29
Shalom!
Bishop Ajose