100 days fasting: What Nigerians should expect after April 11, 2014- by Adeboye

100 days fasting: What Nigerians should expect after April 11, 2014- by Adeboye

Yemi Olakitan 

Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God announced a 100-days fasting period for its members starting from January 2nd to April 11, 2014. The announcement came as Pastor E.A Adeboye released prophecies for the New Year, during a crossover service held on January 1^st, declaring that “2014 will be the year of overflowing blessings.  He said, Nigerians will see the end of all her enemies, after the fasting period.

In another service tagged: ‘Divine Placement’ in his honour at the Solid Rock Parish, Lagos Province 40, Ojodu, Lagos, Pastor Adeboye stressed that it had become dangerous to continue to tolerate “our enemies for a longer time, as they are capable of waxing stronger and creating more havoc.  “All those enemies blocking your progress in life and the progress of Nigeria must disappear to pave the way for the much-needed change in our lives and nation. That is one of the reasons for the 100 days’ fasting and prayer period by the church,” he said.

 However, a medical practitioner has advised against such long period of fasting by believing Christians. Dr. Obiohoa of the Nigerian Military Hospital, Ikoyi said fasting is okay for short period of time, ‘even for healthy people, fasting is risky especially if it is done on long period of time such as the one embarked upon by the Redeemed Christian Church of God.        According to him long days without food is a risk to human health. He said it was not medically advisable for men and women to go without food for so long as it can affect the immune system; the body’s ability to fight sicknesses and diseases.   A pastor of the Living Faith Church, Pastor Biola however said, it is an individual choice. He said, even one day fasting can be a risk to some people’s health. ‘Our Bishop used to say that if your health cannot carry it. Don’t do it. The aged and pregnant women are usually exempted. You can break by 12 or 3pm if you can carry it till night, so individual choices is very important in long period of fasting on Pastor Adeboye’s statement that Nigeria would see the end of her enemies, he said, the potency of fasting and prayers to change the course of a nation is not in doubt according to scriptures.According to the man of God, the 100 days fasting and prayer period are being observed to eliminate all enemies of progress, who have refused to repent and change, for good. He said such enemies of progress would be eliminated in the nation and in individuals’ lives after the 100 days fasting and prayer.   

Enoch Adejare Adeboye is perhaps the greatest pastor in Africa and one of the greatest in the world.  According to Newsweek magazine in 2008 Adeboye is one of the fifty most powerful people on earth.  Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, is the pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in Christendom today. He is the national president of RCF (an interdenominational fellowship in all the campuses in Nigeria).  He is the Convener of the annual December three-day Holy Ghost Congress in Nigeria with an average attendance of over six million people. He is host at the annual March three-day Special Holy Ghost Service with an average attendance of over six million people.  He also hosts the monthly Holy Ghost Service with an average attendance of over one million people.  The story of Adeboye is not one of instant success as he was born into poverty. According to him, he was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth and did not have shoes for the first 18 years of his life. However, he had vision, determination, diligence and a passion for hard work which he considered to be far more valuable than money.  Born in 1942 into a humble family in the village of Ifewara, Osun State Enoch Adeboye stated that his family was so poor that even the poor called him poor.  In 1956 he was admitted into Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha, Osun State and as a youth he discovered a passion for books, and an aptitude for science particularly Mathematics. This led to an academic journey in the face of numerous challenges. Enoch Adeboye eventually obtained a Bachelors (BSc.) degree in Mathematics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1967, but also a Masters (MSc.) Degree in Hydrodynamics and Doctorate Degree (PhD) in Applied Mathematics, both from the University of Lagos in 1969 and 1975. Adeboye worked as a lecturer at the universities of Lagos and Ilorin before joining the church. Initially, his greatest ambition was to become the youngest Vice Chancellor of a prestigious university in Nigeria.  It did seem that his ambition would be realized as he was making progress with his plan. However, a divine hand took him into the service of the Lord.  He said, ‘‘I came to know God in a fairly dramatic way. I was born into a Christian home and always gone to church because my parents said we had to go. But after I grew up and left home. I drifted away from the church until I had a problem that defied solutions and then someone invited me to the RCCG and I came expecting the pastor to pray for me and my problems would just go but instead, he said I have to give my life to Jesus Christ that if my sins are gone, my problems would disappear. I resisted, for a while, but eventually I surrendered and gave my life to Jesus Christ and my problems left me.’’ He thereafter became an interpreter of the sermons of the then Pastor and founder; Rev. Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi who was the founder of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, a man who though was illiterate had been endowed with the ability to read the Yoruba version of the Holy Bible. In 1981, He was appointed General Overseer when Papa Akindayomi passed away. He resigned from his university lecturing after three years to devote himself to full time pastoral work.  In 1977 when he was ordained as a Pastor in RCCG, Enoch Adeboye displayed an incredible passion for the gospel, pioneering Bible Study meetings, crusades, revivals, outreaches and evangelistic programs known as the Congress. When the founder passed away in 1980, RCCG had 42 parishes. The founder left a sealed document pronouncing Enoch Adeboye as the next General Overseer. Enoch Adeboye was ordained the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God in 1981. The Lord has today through Enoch Adeboye built over five thousand Churches all over the world. In Nigeria, almost all the nations of Africa, the US, the UK, Canada, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Australia, India, China, Hong Kong, the Far East and even the Middle East). In the United States alone there are over five hundred Parishes and still increasing.  In Nigeria alone, it has more than 14,000 branches in cities and rural communities. Adeboye said, his vision was to plant a church in every five minutes walking distance of developing nation and in every five minutes driving distance of developed nations like coffee shops. According to him, in every family on earth, there must be a Redeemed member. Adeboye founded the Model Parishes which targeted the elites in Nigeria and there are the classical parishes which was more conservative. The model parishes were an instant success and it helped the Redeemed Christian Church of God to increase astronomically bringing into the church a harvest of souls and financial pillars which helped the church in its evangelistic programs.   Enoch Adeboye’s deep compassion for souls also push the church into rural communities as there is now where the GO is not willing to take the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Holy Ghost Services which he started 80s was a once a month revival programme which bring the churches together from every corner of the country. It was initially held on the premises of the church Headquarters in Lagos but the place was too small for the huge crowd that was coming. The church then required a change in location.  Under his leadership, RCCG purchased an uninhabited forest land located on the outskirts of Lagos. Enoch Adeboye moved his family to this forest and called the place, the Redemption Camp. He constructed a large auditorium and began to hold the monthly Holy Ghost Services there which has continued to draw crowds to this day.  Today, the crowds in attendance run in the millions every month. From the Redemption Camp, Enoch Adeboye faithfully ministers to the body of Christ all over the world. The Redemption Camp is also the home of the Redeemers University, and the other secular and theological schools which were established by the church. The Redemption is a city as many believers now live and worship there, making the place another religious nation in the likes of the Vatican city of the Catholic Church.  On December 18^th 1998, Enoch Adeboye hosted the very first Holy Ghost Festival with an attendance of over seven million people. In 1999 there were no less than twelve million worshipers present. This program has since been replaced with the annual 3-day Holy Ghost Congress held every December at the Redemption Camp. In addition to this is a Special 3-day Holy Ghost Program held in the first weekend of March yearly. At these events, miracles, signs and wonders have become commonplace as the power of God moves to set free, heal, anoint, deliver, bless and empower.  Adeboye is a father in the lord to many great men of God. He ordained hundreds of pastors at the Redemption Camp on a regular basis.  He is also pastor and spiritual father to many heads of governments. He travels to minister to unreached places where others may not go.  Adeboye has been conferred with several honorary degrees and national merit awards in appreciation of his contributions to humanity. In 1999 Adeboye received the honorary citizenship and key of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. In 2000 he dedicated the first chapel in the Nigerian Presidential Villa, Abuja, Nigeria.  In 2005 he received honorary citizenship and key of Dallas, Texas, USA. In 2005 he received honorary citizenship and key of Baltimore, Maryland, United States. In 2008, he was awarded a National Honor Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and led the Pre-Summit Prayers at the 64th General Assembly of the United Nations, Headquarters, and New York. He is the author globally-distributed daily devotional manual, Open Heavens.