Home Columnist Nigeria’s 61st anniversary and  a reflection on Pa Elton’s prophecies by John Abiola
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Nigeria’s 61st anniversary and  a reflection on Pa Elton’s prophecies by John Abiola

by Church Times

Dearly beloved in Christ, I bring revival greetings to you and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ in whom we have redemption through His blood.

I appeal to all Nigerian Christians, home and across the globe to participate in this 4th national day of repentance, fasting, and prayer for revival in Nigeria.

As you all know, we are in the most chaotic period of our political, economic, and spiritual lives and the church has progressively declined.

There were reports that about 4,462 Nigerian Christians have been killed by Herdsmen, Jihadists in 200 days. Pmnewsnigeria.com.Headlines.

Inter-society, Nigeria on Sunday, July 18, 2021, reports that about 300 churches were burnt with at least ten priests or pastors abducted or killed by Jihadists in Nigeria.

So we could all see that we are in a precarious situation. That is why I pray that all Christians will see this clarion call as an opportunity to be united in fasting and prayer.

This is time to acknowledge and repent of our national sins,  corruption, wickedness, injustice, killings, abominations, and evils, for the restoration of God’s glory, power, revival in Nigeria for a new and better Nation, for Nigerian citizens, and for Christianity and for the coming generations.

We, Nigeria Global Intercessors, therefore, call all believers from all denominations and backgrounds to turn down our food plates in fasting on the 1st of October, to weep and cry out to God in our prayers, intercession, repentance for God’s intervention for revival and deliverance for the church in Nigeria before it gets uprooted like the Church in Afghanistan which we are praying for…

Irrespective of one’s location, whether in Nigeria or abroad, in groups, individuals, at school, at home, meetings, in churches, could be any part of the world. Every Christian should observe fast, repent, and pray for Revival in Nigeria.

Note: please, it’s never too late to repent, fast, and pray for revival in Nigeria anytime any day this message gets to you.

 

Why the 4th National repentance, fasting, and prayer for revival in Nigeria?

Christ’s message to the suffering church in Nigeria is that we need to repent, seek God for forgiveness and change our messages and prayer pattern before the Holy Spirit and His power can return back to our Churches.

He said further, “I will deliver my people if only they stop living a double life, but come and walk in my way. I am coming for a holy people, ready, without blemish, without wrinkle, without defilement. My people return to me, I will deliver you, I am looking for people to represent me in many areas before my return. Your hearts are far away from me, come back to me and I will help you.

Deliverance and restoration await if repentance is genuine and sincere, but fury like a fire awaits if repentance is deception.

There is a great war coming to Nigeria, the only solution is to proclaim genuine repentance to people, and pray, especially the Body of Christ in Nigeria should acknowledge their sins, genuinely repent of their sins and pray.(July 2021( Revive Us Again, Series 50).

Pa Elton’s warnings

revival

Pa Elton

  1. 1918 – 1970: Constitutes the period of the presence of God’s glory and power in the church. There was emphasis on repentance, salvation, intercession, discipleship, the second coming of Christ, and impending God’s judgements.
  2. 1960-1980: Herald of the Last Day magazines volume 1, number 4, published  by S.G Elton – warnings to the Nigerian church:

We, Herald of the last days believe that God is speaking to us and that He has something special to say to us, and realize that the message is revolutionary and therefore costly and likely to be unacceptable to many church leaders.

We believe we are a VOICE ( There are many others in many different countries today ) calling the Lord’s people who desire to hear the voice of God calling: speaking and challenging His people to their ears to the growing clamour of costly programmes and schemes to obey HIM and step out for ministry to the many needy seekers around us.

God is definitely drawing the attention again of His people to the Person of His Beloved Son, our Lord, and saviour Jesus Christ. To the name, work, and glory that belongs to Him alone. So many other “things” are creeping into the churches and Satan is seeking to divert the faith of Christians away from the saviour, Jesus Christ, and to fix their faith on such things as vestments, uniforms, blessed oil, candles, and many such things.

These things are not evil in themselves but they become ” idols” and Christian “juju” when they take the position which has been won by Lord Jesus Christ.

God is waiting to send another mighty Revival to Nigeria but is looking for men and women who are prepared to sacrifice all, to seek this new revelation for this day. God is moving today to meet the many needs of men and He says that YOU can meet those needs in His Name if you are prepared to do His Will.

Satan as well is moving in order to establish his kingdom for he knows what God wants to do. Satan is using many clever men to do his will.  – By S. G Elton.

The Great Revival of the 70s

  1. 1970’s great revival in Nigeria: The great revival of the 1970s came after the civil war that we were told claimed over two million lives. God in His infinite mercy and love visited Nigeria with a great revival after the Revival of 1918 by Garrick Braide and 1930 by Joseph Ayo Babalola. This Revival sparked up among the students of the secondary and higher institutions in 1970. This was in answer to the fervent prayers of Pa S.G Elton, a British missionary whom God sent to Nigeria in 1937. He is the grandfather of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement in Nigeria. Also, he initiated and established the first intercessory Ministry for Nigeria.

The revival brought numerical and spiritual growth to the church and the economy of the nation boomed. There was great healing and development in every area of the nation. Spiritually, the church became the light and salt of Nigeria and God blessed and prospered the Nigerian church.

There was a massive conversion of Muslims, traditional rulers, government and military officers, industrialists, politicians, armed robbers, Jihadists, and hardened criminals. Muslim population significantly reduced, crime rates reduced dramatically. There was peace, progress, and economic stability, electricity was stable. There were many industries and Nigeria became the giant of Africa. Nigeria was rich in agriculture and oil that she was exporting cash crops to other nations and also was giving out loans to other African nations.

Nigeria’s currency had more value than the dollar. God was pleased with Nigeria and she was the largest oil-producing nation in Africa and among the top three in the world. Foods were in abundance for Nigerians. Nigerian universities were among the top in the world. Anywhere in the world, Nigerians were highly respected and honoured. The Nigerian military was one of the well trained and best in the world sending peace troops to other African nations.

At this period the focus of the church was evangelism, intercession for the nation, discipleship, missions to the unreached people groups of the northern. Nigerian church was living every moment in consciousness of eternity. The character of believers spoke more than their messages.

There was love, power of God, unity, integrity, accountability among the Christians and leaders. The public confession of sin was one of the pillars of the revival. It was a period of revival fundamental in the apostolic. Corruption was at the minimal level among Christian businessmen and women and Christian politicians. Companies were coming to the church to employ believers because they believed that their money is safe in the hands of a Christian.

Then, Christians dressed moderately and are different from the world. They were vibrant in evangelizing the northern Muslims, their friends, family, colleagues, and everywhere.

There was little persecution of Christians as many be born again through visions, dreams in answer to fervent prayers of church leaders. Some would lock up themselves in rooms for days without food and water praying for the power of the Holy Ghost and evangelization of Nigeria.

When they came out to preach on repentance; powers of darkness were dislodged, souls were won. Muslims Imams, Idol worshipers, Jihadists, and traditionalists are surrendering to Christ and becoming disciples. The church leaders never desired the taking of titles but were addressed as brothers and sisters.

The books that were predominant were those on revivals, intercessions, baptism of the Holy Ghost, power of the early Church, evangelism, soul-winning, Heaven and hell, rapture, power of prayer, and fasting.

They were books on discipleship, and books written by Oswald J. Smith,  T.L Osborne, Billy Graham, J. Oswald Sanders, and those of lives and ministries of great preachers, Intercessors, and revivalists who depopulated hell and overpopulated heaven in their generations. They were books of John Hyde, John Knox, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Charles  G Finney, D.L Moody, Francis Asbury, John G.Lake, A. A Allen, and Evan Roberts.

The church experienced the power and love of God. The glory of God rested upon the church, the leaders, and the nation.

The descent to spiritual lethargy 

  1. 1985 till date: Departure of God’s glory in Nigeria and major Church Message emphasis becomes predominantly on wealth, health, miracle, success, leadership, potential, success, tithes, offerings, deliverance, politics, and prophecy. Jesus commands to His Church, Christians, and Church leaders in Luke 24:47, “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem”.

Suddenly the church leaders began to sleep and the devil succeeded in shifting our focus to another gospel – wealth and health, deliverance, prophecy, leadership… The love, power, and glory of God began to fade away from the Nation gradually.

The fire of evangelism in the north and missions to rural and riverine areas faded. Warfare against the spirit of bound woman and Intercessions for the nation and the church and the fear of the impending judgement, second coming of Jesus, the rapture was doused.

The church became worldly and corrupt and the society became morally bankrupt. The spiritual atmosphere of Nigeria changed and the glory departed. Nominalism, denominationalism, empire building, occultism, ungodly dressing and lifestyles, fear of the unknown became prevalent.

Believers now concentrate on “kill your enemies’ prayers. Many over time have become selfish and greedy. Division, polygamy, immorality, deception, lies, false prophecies, corruption, and other evil vices entered the church. The love of money, property acquisition, living extremely expensive lifestyles became the order of the day.

The God of gold, Mammon began to rule our churches and darkness covered the whole nation.

  1. 2006: Personal assistant to S G. and Ruth Elton of many decades, missionary John Ladega in an interview with the Essence Restored magazine, Volume 1, Number 1, gave an account of some shocking revelations, warnings, and prophecies of S. G Elton. It reads:

” Towards the tail end of his life, Pa Elton’s heart again began to gravitate towards a peculiar pull. His ability to eventually identify this pull and to give expression to it would yet bring a dramatic turn in the story which accounts for why he is not as celebrated as one would expect, given how much he contributed to the gospel in Nigeria.

“At this time, though the euphoria of the new move was still strong and gaining more momentum, with Pa Elton right in the middle of it; he had begun to sense an uneasiness within. Like the patriarch, Abraham who felt overwhelmed by the horror of engulfing darkness on the mountain where he had an appointment with Lord, Pa Elton began to sense that imminent danger lied just around the shores of the move which was still being celebrated and producing results and that if not faithfully handled could become infected by man’s unconquered desire to have the preeminence. Combined with a rare prophetic intuition, the ageing missionary began to perceive where the trend would lead to.

Consequently, Pa Elton’s actions and messages began to confuse a number of people ( church leaders ). He began to limit the number of invitations he honoured and turned down many. Pa Elton would prefer to speak with a little gathering under a shed than to honour a major conference that had his name on the invitation bill. He began to yearn about the spirit of Babylon pervading the church.

“He emphatically warned against the taking of Titles and building of empires. He declared that this would usher in a season of apostasy for the church and men would begin to commercialise the gospel. Pa Elton began to decry what America Christianity was turning into and discouraged the Nigerian church from panting after it.

“As if that was not enough, the man of God began to prophetically speak as touching the future of the Nation. This was what earned him the title of ‘A prophet of doom.’ He advised people to invest in Agriculture because of the coming hardship. He predicted that a loaf of bread would be expensive as N5 at a time when N5 was enough to feed a family of four for a whole month!

This was simply annoying to the believers at that time who saw the current revival blending with the affluence that marked the emergence of the oil boom. He spoke of the dark days that Nigeria would come into as a result of un-informed men hijacking power.

But contrary to the impression that this would create of him, Pa Elton had an undying passion for this most populous black Nation of the planet. He spoke passionately about a coming revival that would come after the period of apostasy.

He said that Nigeria is very significant in the programmes of God for the end time and that she is the trigger point of Africa through which the arrows of the new revival would be shot into the rest of the world. He strongly maintained that the next phase of divine agenda had shifted from America and would be pioneered by Africa… Pa Elton died on the 14 of January 1987.

We need genuine repentance

7. Only genuine Repentance which brought back God’s glory and delivered the Israelites from their enemies, the Philistines, as in 1Samuel 7: 2,3,10 “And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, if ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Asharoth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him alone: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the children of Israel put away Baal and Asharoth and served the only God”.. . the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel”.( Please read 1Samuel 7:1-16).

God’s wrath and judgements were kindled against the children of Israel by giving them over to their enemies, the Philistines, as a result of the consequences of their sins and Idolatry.

God’s glory departed from the temple. Israel went to war against their enemies and they were defeated, the ark of the covenant of God that embodied His presence and protection was captured, ( the strength, power, and glory of Israel were given to their enemies, allowing them to be oppressed for twenty years).

Eli’s sons were killed, 4,000 Army of Israel were slaughtered, 30,000-footmen were killed. Eli’s daughter in law died during childbirth and named her son Icabod -The glory of God is departed from Israel. But when Israelites realized, acknowledge, fasted, prayed, and lamented their sin and idolatry, God restored His glory, power and delivered them.

Brethren, For God’s glory and revival, power to return to our nation for deliverance from our enemies. we, His children in Nigeria need to repent of our sins. Churches, leaders, rulers need to repent from the sins of our land, cry out to God for a new heart. We need to cry for a change of heart from all filthiness, idolatry, and immorality. We need to repent from worthliness, ungodly lifestyles, greediness, tribalism, denominationalism, and occultism. Inequality, cold and deadness of heart should not be found among us. so that a new spirit of love will envelop us passionately and keep burning deeply for His Kingdom’s advance.

Clergy and laity need to go back to the old path

We Preachers need to repent and go back to the old path messages, the true gospel.

God’s children also need a new heart of forgiveness and character of Christ that attracts sinners to Christ… But it is not possible if we don’t genuinely repent of our sins. It is only through repentance that our heavenly Father would pour out His Spirit and revival power.

Moreover, God’s glory, presence, and power, revival and deliverance from enemies require a foundation of genuine repentance. This repentance is about godly sorrow for one’s sin, turning back to God, asking for mercy, seeking and rendering forgiveness to people that you have hurt or that have hurt you in one way or another.

It is about making restitution and being determined never to go back to the old sins but fervently praying and fasting for the manifestation of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and revival power. It is about spreading the revival of repentance to your family, churches, ministries, offices, communities, and everywhere until the whole nation is filled with the fire of repentance and spread out to other nations.

 

PRAYER POINTS:

  1. Ezekiel 36; psalms 79, 80, 85. Thank God for the prophetic agenda for the church in Nigeria.

 

  1. Psalms 51; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:1-8. Lament  and repent of your personal sins.

 

  1. Daniel 9

Lament and repent of the sins and activities of witchcraft, queen of the coast, and queen of heaven in the church in Nigeria ( Lies, deceit, charismatic, rebellion, witchcraft, sexual immorality, disunity, denominational pride, ignorance, selfish ambition, lukewarmness, unfaithfulness, gossip, envy, coveteousness, greed, corruption, false prophecy, stealing by tricks, tribalism, worthlessness, materialism, apostasy, heresy etc.

Repent of the sins of the children, youth, women, ladies, men, choristers, elders, ministers, pastors, leaders in the church and the sins of political leaders and the society.

 

  1. Hebrew 9:12-14

Ask God for mercy and plead the blood of Jesus Christ for the atonement of our National sins.

 

  1. Mathew 18:18

Bind and relocate millions of demons and evil spirits that are ruling over territories and areas, churches and Nigeria to abyss.

 

  1. Colossians 2:14-16

Declare God’s judgments, pull down and destroy all satanic strongholds, oppositions, confrontations, institutions, forces, powers and alters, thrones, kingdoms, rivers, and establishments hindering the prophetic destiny of the church in Nigeria.

 

  1. Lord pour out the Holy Spirit and revival power to cause genuine repentance and transformation among the Christians and unbelievers in Nigeria.

 

  1. Jeremiah 1:18-19

Pray for deliverance and protection for all righteous and faithful Christians, ministers, pastors and church leaders in Nigeria. Thank God for answering your prayers.

 

  1. You can include additional prayer points as the Holy Spirit may lead you. Remain blessed.

 

Remember the 4th National day of fasting, repentance and prayer for Revival.

OCTOBER 1, 2021.

6:00AM -12 MIDNIGHT.

John Abiola.

REVIVE US AGAIN SERIES 53.

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"Prophetic & Strategic Prayer for National Revival." May 10, 2023 - 12:12 pm

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