COVID-19: Why Pastors can’t do healing miracles- Primate Ositelu

Primate of The Church of the Lord, (Aladura) Worldwide, Most Rt. Revd (Dr)  Rufus Okikiola Ositelu, has cautioned cynics against mocking and criticising pastors for not putting their purported healing powers to help cure victim’s of the corovid-19 pandemic in the country.
Pastors especially who claim miraculous powers in healing diseases have been at the receiving end of jokes, scoffing and criticisms by Nigerians for missing in action and not putting their so-called gifts at the disposal of the nation in the fight against the scourge.

Many have dismissed the “Men of God” as mere charlatans, saying they expected them to have shown up at hospitals, quarantine centres and other designated places to enable coronavirus patients being treated benefit from faith healing, to prove their prowess.But Primate Ositelu, who leads the 7,000 -strong indigenous Christian religious movement, says it is wrong to ascribe the power of miracles and healing to pastors and as such blame them for non manifestation of faith healing at this time.

According to the religious leader, who reportedly predicted the outbreak of the coronavirus in China during the Tabborrah Festival, an annual retreat of the church in Ogere, Ogun last August, only “Jesus Christ is the Divine Healer” while Ministers are mere vessels used by the Almighty.Thus, he indicates that the pastors being mere mortals and instruments with no power of their own can do nothing unless willed, sanctioned and commanded by the Creator.

However, while urging the cynics to briddle their sneers, Ositelu warned Nigerians to watch out for tricksters and charlatans who might want to capitalize on the raging pandemic to defraud people with false claims of having abilities to cure the infection.The TCLAW leader assures that part of the prophecy is that there will be a breakthrough in the search for the cure, praying that the Lord grants this to be soon for the world to experience relief.

Below are excerpts of the interview:

– At Tabieorar, you prophesied about a disease from China, is Coronavirus the disease or there’s another one coming worse than Covid-19?

ANSWER: The 2019 Tabieorar Revelation for China speaks of a strange disease without known cure and that there will be a breakthrough in the search for a cure. 

–  Did God reveal the cause of the pandemic to you?

ANSWER: The exact revelation for China reads thus: “The Lord says, pray against the outbreak of strange diseases in the country. The Lord says, there shall be breakthrough in the search for cure.” 

–  Besides prophesying about this outbreak, what preventive steps did the church take to prepare for this outbreak?

ANSWER: The preventive step we took as regards the COVID-19 is that we did exactly what the Lord says, that is, pray. But no one can question God. We can only pray to Him.

– How do you feel about God using you to deliver such a monumental prophesy? Do you somehow feel the weight of responsibility for the prophesy becoming true and devastating everyone globally?

ANSWER: God gives prophecies through His anointed Ministers purposely to warn us and get us prepared. Sometimes to warn us to forsake our sinful ways and turn back to Him. At other times, He wants to remind us that He is our Creator and the Creator of the universe, thus teaching us to humble ourselves and do good. This COVID-19 is a leveler, which has no regard for the reach and the powerful. 

–  Do you agree with some theorists saying God is using Coronavirus to attack the rich and corrupt?

ANSWER: As mentioned earlier, the COVID-19 is dangerous to both the rich and the poor. On the other hand, it is a warning to the rich and powerful to stop being self-centered, but to truly care for the masses. In times past, when the rich and powerful were sick, they quickly rushed to Europe or America for treatment, because they have neglected to do what is right, which is to care for the welfare of the masses. For example, by building the state of the art hospitals in their own countries. During this COVID-19 pandemic, they could not run to anywhere. This is how God uses His power to humble both the rich and the powerful. 

–  Pastor Adeboye has been quoted as saying this pandemic is a plague, is that correct?

ANSWER: Since COVID-19 is a contagious virus, characterized by fever and infection of the lungs which is deadly, it may be referred to as a plague. Generally, plague is an INFECTIOUS disease caused by the bacterium “Yersinia pestis” and spread by flea bites and transmitted between people through the air via infectious droplets.

–  Mike Bamiloye mentioned that homosexuality is the cause of Coronavirus. What’s your take on this?

ANSWER: That’s is not the Revelation of God to us. Though, homosexualism is an abomination to God.

–  Why is it that men of God who are ordained and anointed for deliverance have not been able to cure Coronavirus patients?

ANSWER: First and foremost, Jesus Christ is the Divine Healer. Anointed Ministers of God are only being used by God as vessels.

 –  The Ooni Of Ife, recently said that herbs can cure the Coronavirus, what has God revealed to you about the cure or when this pandemic would be over?

ANSWER: According to the Revelation from the Holy Mount Tabieorar, God says that “there shall be breakthrough in the search for cure”. So, we are praying to God to fulfill His promise sooner than later. We trust in what God says. 

–  What impacts does tithing, praying, fasting, anointing oils and holy water have at this dire time?

ANSWER: The public should be very careful, as some charlatans will try to capitalize on the COVID-19 situation to defraud innocent people.  

 – The Church Of the Lord has a foundation that assists the less-privileged, is there any new measures in place to help Church members that the current lockdown might adversely affect.

ANSWER: We have many foundations to assist the less privileged in our society, and there is a particular foundation (JEPEF) that could be of great assistance during this COVID-19 pandemic.