In this article, we will confront a major anomaly in today’s pulpit ministry – lying against the Lord. We shall also clearly articulate why God strongly disapproves of this pattern, which we normally see among modern ministers.

There is a sin called the sin of lying against the Lord. This evil was greatly practised by the Jewish pastors and prophets in the days when God majored on them as the apostolic nation of the world. The sin of lying against the Lord registers when men say, declare, or prophesy things and portray them as coming from the mouth of God. The idea was theirs, the word was theirs, the thoughts and imagination were theirs, but to make it acceptable and fit for approval, God’s name is attached to it, and the people latch onto it as a divine oracle and promise.

“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds. Jeremiah 14:14

Let it not seem strange to say that this sin is greater today than it was in the days of the Jews. One day, God revealed to me that the Christian church of today has done greater wickedness than the Jews. Surely, we deserve worse for our wrongdoings, especially considering the corruption of our pulpits by lying preachers.

When raising funds, many preachers make claims that God is telling them to collect money from the church. I once attended a church event in 2014 where a prominent preacher stated that God demanded we give 14,000 Naira because it was the year 2014. I don’t mind him raising funds for the host church, but why attach the name of God to such an absurd claim?

A preacher conducts thorough research and approaches the congregation to deliver a message, stating, “God says I should announce to you…” or “This is the message God gave me…” in an attempt to validate his ministration. While there is nothing wrong with presenting well-researched outlines and saying, “I am here to speak on this topic…”, claiming that it is a message from God is essentially lying against the Lord.

I come from Nigeria in Africa, I minister in the southeast, and I minister in a competitive system. No one wants to be hidden; everyone wants to shine and be acceptable to the audience, so that promises of favour and declarations of blessings can make one the people’s man. Those who have figured this out have become mighty in prophesying divine favours even when God is not speaking favours and blessings.  I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. – Jeremiah 23:21

Clearly, today lies a great ignorant congregation because their shepherds are ignorant in the masters of God. Their ignorance causes their worrisome crave for prophets of good things over those who have the oracle and counsel of the Lord. Does God only prophecy good things and not warnings? Do not reproofs and corrections also come from God? The words of Christ unto the seven Churches in the Book of Revelation were they full of favours and promises of good times?

Some say there are 13 persons here according to what God has said, and then 20 person comes out to give. The King of Heaven should have known the number of people before that day. But these pulpit rebels think we do not notice them, how they manufacture numbers in their heads and are lying in the name of God.

This wickedness extends far beyond just priests and the pulpit. I once attended a prayer meeting aimed at averting death based on supposed visions from God. Just as we were focused, a woman suddenly drew attention to herself by speaking loudly. She boldly declared, “This says the Lord I have removed this death from you.” The congregation erupted in joy, singing praises. Yet, just two days later, a member of that church died.

In that same congregation, there were two sisters who always prophesied during high-intensity prayer sessions. However, every single one of their declarations of “thus says the Lord” turned out to be false. When I left that church and joined another, I encountered members who routinely spread lies in the name of God, claiming them to be prophecies. Witnessing such blatant dishonesty and wickedness in the churches led me to decide never to trust the prophecies of men and women within the Christian church again.

Prophecies of the Bible misused

Some misconceptions stem from the biblical promises God made to His people. Someone reads in the Bible where God promised to be with Israel and then stands before a Christian congregation, declaring, “Thus says the Lord, I will be with you!” or “The Lord told me to announce to you, I will be with you.” Such statements are often misleading and constitute empty prophecies.

It is crucial to understand that unless God has spoken directly to the preacher, there is no justification for claiming, “the Lord says…” or “the Lord tells me to announce to you...” The individuals receiving the message are entirely different people, each with their own unique circumstances and needs. What God said yesterday is not what he is saying today. This is also a lie.

When a man climbs the pulpit and says, “God said I should tell you that it will be well with you.” This here is another lie against God. God has not told any church that it will be well with them. But only the righteous. And we know that the church today is a mixed multitude, like an undone mixture. There are wicked men, sinners, agents of Satan and all kinds of people in today’s churches. Again, it is a biblical prophecy to the righteous, but they pick a prophecy from the bible and say, “God said I should tell you!” Well, the laity, members or anyone can also pick up a biblical prophecy and say, “God said I should tell the church…”

Let us be totally certain that each time we have said, ‘thus says the Lord, God said I should announce to you…’ that God has truly said it. Be sure not to tell the congregations things and attach God’s name to it. Do not pick up a Bible prophecy and say, “Thus says the Lord to you.” These things are lies, and the punishment thereof is great, oh, I tell you.