At the beginning of the year 2019, Prophet TB Joshua prophesied that the year 2019 would be fearful. Those of us who had been following him for several years keyed into the prophecy. We knew from his prophecy that 2019 was going to be full of dreadful challenges and only faith in Jesus would see us through. Ordinarily, it had been expected that most of the fear would come from individual attitude to the unknown, all the possible negative feelings and thoughts that would drive our emotions. In short, the prophecy impacted on us that despite the challenges therein living our lives to the fullest was going to be by His grace.
Nevertheless, no Christian should live under any fear, even the fear of the unknown, and expect answers to prayers or joyous living. This is because when we choose to live with the fear of the unknown, the choices and decisions we make would not serve us well nor make us holy in obedience to Jesus. Each Christian should learn that Faith or encouragement in Christ had not been the absence of fear, but our belief and trust in Him is what guarantees our triumph over fear. Every day in the year 2019 had been fearful. In many parts of the world, many had experienced different degrees of political upheavals, terrorism, xenophobia, extreme weather conditions, economic depression, unemployment, food insecurity, and so on. There were physical reasons to have made us living our lives in the fear of the unknown rather than in the fullest potential possible in Christ Jesus. But His grace had been sufficient, making us over-comers.
As we consider the prophecy of TB Joshua, and desire to find a place for our prophet in the scripture, at least two prophecies come to mind. In Daniel 12: 4 it is written,"... ., even to the time of the end, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased". This increase in knowledge has given birth to Emmanuel.TV and other Christian satellite broadcasting stations. In Matthew 24:14 Jesus has also prophesied that "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come". Hence though a fearful year, over 500,000 million people worldwide must have listened to the gospel through Emmanuel.TV this year 2019.
Therefore the fearfulness containing in the outgoing year has been beyond mere apprehension of physical and temporal situations around or fear of the unknown. Rather it is becoming more obvious that Jesus is on His way for a harvest of His faithful followers. Jesus made this known in Luke 21:17-20, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not a hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls. And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh". There are still a few days left in this year 2019 for each one to let the Word of Salvation go out freely from our mouth, otherwise, they remain only fearful days ahead.
Prof. R. A. Ipinyomi, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
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