THE DECEPTION OF A PASTOR THROUGH A FALSE PROPHET
In the early months of 2009, I was serving as a junior pastor at a church in Graniteside, Harare, Zimbabwe.
The church was conveniently located within walking distance of Harare’s bustling Central Business District (CBD).
During this time, I was also contributing weekly biblical motivational articles to Business Connect, a local newspaper.
My routine involved visiting their offices weekly to submit my articles and collect copies of the newspaper for distribution.
One Monday morning, as I walked toward the CBD along Seke Road, I experienced an unexpected and profound spiritual encounter.
As I approached the flyover leading into the city center, the heavens opened above me, and I was caught up in a vision remindful of the biblical prophet Micaiah’s revelation concerning King Ahab and the battle of Ramoth-Gilead (1 Kings 22:19-23).
In this vision, I was transported to the second heavens, where I witnessed Satan seated on his throne, addressing a council of fallen angels.
He declared, “We have a problem in Zimbabwe. Pastor X is awakening the church before the time, and we need to find a way to stop him.”
(Pastor X, a Zimbabwean minister, was gaining prominence through his powerful preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, accompanied by miracles and signs.)
One by one, the fallen angels raised their hands, eager to propose solutions. Each suggestion was dismissed by Satan as inadequate.
Finally, a spirit from a distant land—revealed to me as originating from the United Kingdom—stepped forward.
This spirit proposed, “I will enter into an ambitious prophet in the UK, bring him to Pastor X, and use him to shift Pastor X from teaching to prophecy.”
Satan smiled and nodded in approval of this plan.
At that moment, the vision ended, and I found myself standing by the roadside, unsure how much time had passed.
The experience left me deeply unsettled, and I felt compelled to share it with a brother in the Lord who was a member of Pastor X’s congregation.
Together, we agreed to pray for Pastor X and to remain vigilant in light of the vision.
Two weeks later, my brother informed me of a significant event that had occurred during a midweek service at Pastor X’s church.
A visiting minister, Prophet Y—a Zimbabwean based in the United Kingdom—had delivered remarkably accurate prophecies, reminiscent of the late Nigerian prophet T.B. Joshua.
Prophet Y’s ministry seemed impressive, and he quickly gained influence within Pastor X’s circle.
Over time, Prophet Y introduced Pastor X to his spiritual father in a West African country, leading to Pastor X being recommissioned as a prophet.
It was then that I realized the vision I had received was being fulfilled. The fallen angel from the UK had succeeded in its mission to deceive and divert Pastor X from his original calling.
I shared my concerns with my brother, explaining that Prophet Y was the instrument through which the enemy had executed its plan. But, for reasons of his own, my brother remained loyal to Pastor X, now known as Prophet X, to this day.
This experience serves as a sobering reminder of the spiritual warfare we face as believers. The Bible warns us to be vigilant, for “Satan himself disguises as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
It is crucial to discern the spirits and remain rooted in the truth of God’s Word, lest we fall prey to deception.
1 John 4:1 (WEB), "Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."
Ephesians 6:12 also reminds us, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
May this account encourage us to pray fervently for our spiritual leaders and to seek discernment in all things, lest we be led astray by the enemy’s schemes.
Powerful and helpful,thank you for sharing
ReplyDeleteAmen. Thank you for reading this and for your support
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