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Real-time is the actual time during which a process or event occurs. It also means instantaneously, or at the moment something happens. Words used for the opposite of this expression are delayed, late, behind, deferred or overdue. The dictionary defines calling as an inner impulse toward a particular course of action, especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence. It can also be the vocation or profession in which one engages. Responding to the calling in real-time in the context of this article is, therefore, responding instantaneously in the affirmative to God’s divine call for a specific task within a time during the days of one’s lifetime. It is not restricted to the calling into the full-time ministry of a church. It encompasses the work of the laity in any para-church organization, those called to be Tent Ministers and everyone assigned to execute specific tasks by God in His vineyard. God is, therefore, the One who does the calling and is usually through and confirmed by fellow humans no matter how one hears Him audibly. The strong innate feeling, intuition or signals we pick from others when we begin to live up to our Christian commitments does not necessarily metamorphose into a calling into the full-time ministry. Grey as this area may be, God is the best and ultimate judge in such matters bothering on the individuals in question.

Humankind’s general response to the calling of God to execute specific tasks on His behalf has usually been fraught with loads of inadmissible excuses. A cursory diagnostic of this phenomenon indicates something more severe than mere sabotage, spiritual shyness, fatigue or laziness. Humans somehow suddenly tend to discover their weaknesses and incapabilities when God calls them to fix something for Him in His vineyard. “Who am I?” “Why me?” “How do I do it, Lord?” “Wait for me, Lord” and “I am not ready” are some of the rhetorics we courteously adopt in turning down God’s divine appointments for us. We are, therefore, most likely to respond late even when fortunate to be implored upon by others to sit up. Around 1513 B.C.E, God called Moses out of the Middle East, precisely, Midian, to Egypt to rescue the Israelites from the grip of Pharaoh and bring them to Canaan, a Land He had promised to give them (Exodus 3:8).

In Exodus 3:11, Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” The above response by Moses was not unexpected because 40 years before that day, he had been on Egypt’s most wanted list as a fugitive. Moses was not in his best psychological state during this period because he referred to himself as “a stranger in a foreign land” according to Exodus 2:22. Besides, at the age of 80, the usual feeling of retirement or having finished contributing his quota to Egypt and the inhabitants of Midian would have set in. Apart from the feeling of having lost touch with his fellow Israelites who knew him as a murderer for close to 40 years, he also had a speech disability or impairment of a sort. He told God, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exodus 4:10). It is, therefore, not surprising that Moses would ask God over and over again, “Who am I?”. We can now appreciate why God had all the patience to deal with every single one of Moses’ legitimate concerns, at least per human standards. God took time to ease every one of his concerns, and when it appeared Moses wanted to hide behind his speech impairment as an excuse, God asked Moses, “who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD?” (Exodus 4:11). God’s response to Moses has loads of wisdom, knowledge, discernment and direction for all who use any physical, cultural, academic, or socio-economic challenge to refuse to respond to the call in real-time.

Three thousand four hundred forty-nine (3,449) years after calling Moses, God called Rev. James Mckeown from England to the then Gold Coast in West Africa to rescue millions from this perishing world. Like Moses, it is on record that when God called Rev. James Mckeown through a prophecy at a large Apostolic convention in England, he initially dragged his feet for close to fifteen months. He thought his lack of formal training or education would hinder him in his missionary journey. Thank God his wife Sophia urged him to respond, which they did in real-time. The next logical question after “Who am I?” is “How do I do it?” Unfortunately, some still allow this fearful rhetoric to deny them their God-given heritage or, better still, bring about unnecessary delays in responding to the call in real-time. Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, What is his name? Then what shall I tell them? … What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, The LORD did not appear to you? … Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” (Exodus 3:13; 4:1, 13). Moses was primarily asking God, how do I do it?

The answer to the question of the “hows” lies in the bosom of the Almighty God with the singular honour of calling individuals to execute specific tasks in His vineyard. So, when Moses thought he had a difficult question for God to answer, God replied, “Now go; I will help you speak and teach you what to say. But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else” (Exodus 4:12). God heard what Moses enumerated as challenges, but He knew what He had invested in him. Moses did not need anyone as his spokesperson for that task per God’s original plan when He called him. The mission was not a soccer commentary at Cairo International Stadium, which demanded a person who could run the mouth with uninterrupted words per minute. In that case, Moses could have been justified as a misfit for that purpose because he was a stammerer. The call to divine duties is a kind that demands all seriousness from those fortunate to be called.

God is the one who equips, helps and works through human vessels. It is not for the appointees to have all answers to the “hows” when they respond positively to the call. It is, therefore, not surprising that God became angry with Moses. Aaron finally became Moses’ attached condition for accepting the mission to Egypt. Aaron’s extra luggage as Moses’ spokesperson and some of its negative consequences from Egypt to the boundaries of the Promised Land is a lesson for all who set conditions before responding in real-time (Exodus 32:2-4; Numbers 12:1-2). It is worth noting that anything designated as a condition to respond to the call in real-time almost always becomes an albatross around the necks of the called during the days of their ministry lives.

Others also ask God, “Why me?” when God calls and expects them to respond in real-time. Questions like these usually come when prospective servants of God try viewing their weaknesses in the light of other people’s strengths. Quite unfair to themselves, they tend to shy away from the calling by suggesting other people they deem suitable for the task. They forget what the Bible speaks about God in 1 Samuel 16:7. It reads, But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” When God called Jeremiah in his late teens, he told God, Alas, Sovereign LORD,”  “Ido not know how to speak; I am too young.” (Jeremiah 1:6). Jeremiah was probably comparing his age, stature and lack of experience in the light of the constituents God was sending him. He was, therefore, literally asking God, “Why me?”. One question that naturally bounces back to such people is; If not you, who else?

God’s response suggested Jeremiah would work amongst very intimidating, rough, fearsome and spiritually rusty characters during the period of Israel’s captivity in Babylon (Jeremiah 1:7-8; 17-19). Meanwhile, before he even told God he was too young for the task God was assigning him, God had said to him that He knew him before forming him in the womb. To convince him that he was far capable of the task, God added, “…before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:4-5). The above investments the Lord made in Jeremiah before forming him settle the question of one’s suitability for purpose when called by God for any given task. What other time could be the right time for someone appointed as a Prophet before being born other than his boyhood age in his late teens? Anytime beyond the period of Jeremiah’s call would lag far behind God’s calendar for his life. In like manner, rather than asking “why me?” Believers must begin lacing their booths to hit the ground running anytime God calls because He prepares right from before we are even formed in our mother’s wombs. Thank God Jeremiah quickly dressed up and responded to the call in real-time. Pastor James and Mrs Sophia Mckeown were present at an Elim meeting when someone prophesied that someone from that group would go to Africa. They were, however, not present at the large Apostolic convention in England when their names were explicitly mentioned through another prophecy to go to West Africa as missionaries. Naturally, the question that quickly comes to mind is why God would bypass all the seasoned ministers at that convention and call an absentee and his wife for such a Herculean mission. It is, therefore, not surprising that his wife Sophia had to impress upon him severally to dress up and jump onto the bandwagon. Thank God for the life of Mrs Sophia Mckeown, and no wonder the pivotal role spirit-filled women are playing in The Church of Pentecost today. They will forever be a force to reckon with.

Some also do not necessarily decline the calling but respectfully tell God to wait for them to finish what they are doing before attending to the duties of the call. What such people fail to appreciate is the time value not of money but spiritual treasures and profitability in the Kingdom business. In Luke 9:59-62, Jesus called some to follow Him, but the first replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father…..and the other said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” The Lord replied to the first, “Let the dead bury their dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God. And to the second, He said, “No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” The import of Jesus’ response in both cases was for all He calls to prioritize issues concerning His Kingdom over any other activity.

The thought-provoking bombshell He drops was in His second response, which suggested a lack of fitness to make an impact in His Kingdom by those who do not respond in real-time. Jesus calls the attitude of marking time as against responding in real-time a “looking back” posture. Yes, there are many things the called of God leaves behind, which, if allowed, could demand constant attention and end up becoming a distraction to them. Believers have been wondering what at all could have caused Lot’s wife to look back and perish as a pillar of salt. Her reason for looking back is not far fetched. Let us not be surprised by her action because it is the same reason those who tell God to wait for them consider and decide to mark time.

Another fallacy about “time-marking” when called by God for a specific task is the presumption that He will keep that task undone, awaiting us anytime we are ready to take it up. “Wait for me to finish what I am doing” is not a phrase to rehearse as a response when God calls. It smacks of doing God a favour instead of the other way round. It disqualifies one and always finds them on a wrong footing even when it is later considered. The method and manner God substituted King Saul with David, his boy, in executing the task initially assigned to the former should be a lesson to all who have signaled God to wait for them. In 1 Samuel 13:13-14, Samuel said to Saul. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people because you have not kept the LORD’s command.” God always has what we call a plan “B” but is part of His plan “A” in every operation in His vineyard. If the time value of money is given serious considerations in transactions of earthly and perishable things, then God cannot do any less in His Kingdom business. All effort must, therefore, be made to respond to His call in real-time to avoid needless losses.

Unfortunately, some have also developed the nerves in turning God’s calling down entirely for one reason or the other. It is an attitude equivalent to questioning God’s intelligence, sovereignty or wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:25 declares, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” The Lord Jesus illustrated the phenomena of refusing the divine call with excuses by the three gentlemen and their repercussions using the parable of the great banquet in Luke 14:15-24. Per the reading, the reason the first invitee gave for not responding to the calling in real-time was because of a newly bought field he wanted to go and inspect. The other also cited the five pairs of Oxen he had just bought, which needed to be tried on his farm. The most ridiculous of the three was the last excuse which reads, “I now have a wife so can not come.” Do you not think this gentleman had the singular honour of attending that great banquet with his newly wedded wife and even spice their marriage through that occasion? The above excuses for the utter refusal to the giver of life’s call can be summarized as one’s profession, carreer ambitions and family life uncertainties, respectively. Who are we without God? And what at all do we have that the Lord did not give?

The consequences of the “no show” response to God are not funny. Jesus illustrates God’s reaction in verses 21 and 24. It reads, “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the house owner became angry and ordered his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.” The Lord, therefore, does not smile at us when we refuse His calling. He gets angry at us per the above reading. He finds our replacement and then vows not to allow those who treat His call with disdain any other opportunity. The excuses the three gentlemen gave lacked the appreciation that they could have still attended to the invite to the banquet in real-time and still taken care of those concerns they had about profession, career, business and family life. Jesus admonishes all to seek first the Kingdom of God, and its righteousness and all the others would fall in place or be added unto us (Matthew 6:33).

Thank God there are also good examples of those who responded to the call to divine assignments in real-time in the Old and New Testaments. When God called Elisha, he took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them, burned the ploughing equipment, gave the meat to the people to eat and then set out to follow Elijah (1 Kings 19:19-21). Elisha at the time possessed twelve yokes of oxen and was actively driving the twelfth one, unlike the gentleman in Jesus’ parable who had bought just five and was about to try them. Yet Elisha found reason to trust the Lord God who created the oxen and blesses the work of human hands to address all of his present and future needs. In similar terms, some of us today do not have or even enjoy a quarter of the comfort Rev James Mckeown had to sacrifice with his wife Sophia to accept and leave Europe and come and live at Asamankese in 1937. Some of us just cannot imagine leaving the city or metropolitan lifestyle to the smaller towns and the socio-economically deprived parts even within the same country. They would, thus, do whatever it takes to refuse such temporal relocations even if they have to tender in their resignation letters. Driving around some of the environs of even Accra today makes me wonder what would motivate an European to respond to God’s calling in real-time and be stationed at Asamankese in those days. It was just faith, trust and obedience to his Maker; worthy of emulation by all and sundry.

Then came the swiftness with which the Apostles of Christ responded to the calling. Let us never forget they were not idle and depressed members of the unemployed folks or tradesmen association in Galilee. They were workers who did not lack earthly possessions, yet they found it wiser to pursue things of heavenly value. In Mark 2:14, Matthew was at the post as a tax officer when Jesus called him into the full-time ministry. Peter, James and John were equally working when Jesus called them, yet the Bible uses the expression “immediately” and “at once” to describe their real-time response to the call (Matthew 4:18-22;9:9-10).

The following are some of the factors that prevent many from responding to the call in real-time;

1. Insecurity and fear of the unknown
2. Transfers and their related discomforts and encumbrances
3. Lack of appreciation of what is at stake.
4. Immaturity in the Lord
5. The discomfort associated with breaking family and relationship ties.
6. The perception of losing all hopes of ever living a joyful, comfortable life once you decide to respond in real-time.
7. The complete lack of understanding of the nature of the Caller and His attributes
8. A weak appreciation of the coming dreadful day of God’s judgment on the nations.
9. Exaggerated hopes of our financial and Socio-economic lots should we continue in what we were doing before the call.
10. The sense of inadequacy, unpreparedness and fear of falling or suffering spiritual attacks.

Moses, who asked God during their first encounter, Who am I? had this to tell Joshua at his handing over ceremony, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors to give them, …… The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deut 31:7-8). Jeremiah, who was also literally telling God he was too young for the task, also had this to say a few years after responding to the calling, “LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps (Jeremiah 11:23). Pastor James Mckeown, who did not know how he would fare on the missionary front in Africa due to the lack of formal training and education, entered the Gold Coast, stayed, worked and left with unstained hands or clean sheets. He said at the church’s headquarters during his last visit in 1984, “You are witnesses that my hands are clean.” Wow! What changed? When we respond to the calling to divine duties in real-time, we tend to understand a lot of things over time which has the propensity to cause us great pain and disappointments if we had objected to it. Moses, Jeremiah and Pastor James Mckeown had matured over the period to see how childish they would have been should they have continuously dragged their feet for God to pass them by.

I hear some who God had invested so much over the years citing age, profession, career ambitions, financial insecurity, physical or health challenges, past life, culture, ambition and societal status as excuses for their “no show” when God called. As we mature in God, we would not entertain such spiritually naïve reasons. The antidote, therefore, goes beyond orientation, convincing, coercing or counselling by experienced and matured minds. It is God’s voice of wisdom in igniting our senses to awaken us to the spiritual realities and what is at stake. This consciousness is what brings one from “Who am I” or “Why me” or “How do I do it” or “I am not coming” to the level of “Here am I, send me”.

After responding in real-time, Abraham became known as the friend of God. Moses won the accolade of “God’s face-to-face friend”. Jeremiah won the title as “a prophet ordained in the womb” and Elisha was honored to share the title, “chariots and horsemen of Israel” with Elijah. The 12 apostles of Christ have equally received their appointment letters as the sitting judges going to judge the twelve tribes of Israel at the culmination of the age. Another name given to Pastor James Mckeown is “The giant in Ghana.” The Executive Council of The Church of Pentecost, in the last sentence of their tribute to him, said, “Never has any human life been so willingly dispensed with as an offering for so many millions of lost souls, as Pastor James.”  As of 2021, The Church of Pentecost boasts of the numerical strength of almost 4 million, with 24,141 congregations spread across 135 countries in the world. God turned the Glasgow tram driver into one of the Chief drivers of modern-day Pentecostalism worldwide. There are always millions of lives to rescue anytime God calls. Instead of trumpeting our inadequacies and weaknesses, let us focus on our God-given and ordained potentials and respond in real-time because He who calls is ever true and faithful.

Written by Pastor James Orhin Agyin (j.orhinagyin20@icloud.com)

In The Church of Pentecost, we give a number of offerings including our lives, energy, skills, talent and money (in various forms) towards the advancement of winning souls and discipling them for Christ, thus possessing the nations for Christ. There are many different ways to make monetary contributions towards the missions work of The Church of Pentecost. Two of such monetary offering are the Monthly Missions Offering and the Yearly McKeown’s Missions Offering. Aside these two regular monetary offerings, individuals are encouraged to make periodic donations as the Spirit leads them – in kind and in cash – to be given to other nations (through the Missions Office) towards mission work. In this article, I seek to mainly explain the difference between Missions Offering and McKeown’s Missions Offering and to also discuss different ways one can be a partner of the mission enterprise of The Church of Pentecost.

The mission work is not only outside Ghana. There are places in Ghana designated as internal mission zone; this includes the Home and Urban Missions (HUM) as well as various places in Ghana that are deprived – in need of boreholes, and various kinds of support. The Home and Urban Mission has two dimensions of mission work – the Home Mission which seeks to reach out to other nationals living in a nation such as Chinese, Lebanese etc. living in Ghana or Ghanaians, Nigerians etc. living in Kenya. The other dimension is Urban Mission which seeks to reach out to the vulnerable and the marginalized living in major urban centres in every nation.

In supporting missions work in deprived areas within a nation, it is worth noting that, few days ago, Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) Asokwa sponsored the construction of a fibre boat for the Afram Plains Area ofThe Church of Pentecost to make mission work there, which requires crossing the Volta Lake, easier. The Church of Pentecost is supporting a lot in many deprived areas in Ghana.

Now to the two regular monetary offering towards mission work in The Church of Pentecost. As stated earlier, one is the MONTHLY MISSIONS OFFERING. This is taken in every local assembly once a month on THE FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH (which is Communion Sunday). It is the Monthly Missions Offering that is sent to support missionaries in the various nations, to acquire places of worship and to support those in need such as the recent evacuation of those caught in the midst of the Russia-Ukraine conflicts.

In the nations outside Ghana, the Monthly Missions Offering is kept in an account in the nation and used for similar purposes periodically in the nation or in support of other nations with permission from the International Missions Director (IMD). The purpose behind the Monthly Missions Offering especially for nations outside Ghana is for members in those nations to also contribute towards mission work in other nations else it will appear that members in those nations are only receiving for their mission work and not being self-supporting or supporting of mission work in other nations. For instance, during the landslides in Sierra Leone few years back, whiles I served as a missionary in Seychelles, The Church of Pentecost in Seychelles made a donation of $300 to the church in Sierra Leone.

The other type of regular monetary offering towards mission is the yearly McKeown Missions Offering. The second week in March of every year is designated in The Church of Pentecost globally as the McKeown Missions Week, climaxing on the second Sunday of March. As you may be aware, Reverend James McKeown and his wife Sophia arrived in Ghana in 1937 to begin their missionary work which eventually led to the formation of The Church of Pentecost. Thus, every year, we revisit the records of the missionary work of the McKeowns to draw lessons and to be inspired to pray for nations, for global mission work, for the mission enterprise of the Church of Pentecost, and for missionaries. During this week, all of us are encouraged to give the McKeown Missions Offering and also get in touch with a missionary and encourage them. On the Sunday, we watch and discuss a documentary on the mission work of The Church of Pentecost around the world. The video link for the 2022 McKeown Missions Week is below:

While the monthly Missions Offering is kept in the various nations and used by the nation for their mission work or to support other nations with permission from the IMD with the aim to instil self-supporting attitude in the members within the nation, the yearly McKeown Missions Offering is a joint global contribution into one pool to push the mission enterprise of The Church of Pentecost, especially in breaking new grounds. Between September 2021 to date, The Church of Pentecost has moved into 27 new nations and we have listed many more to move into this year. It is the McKeown Missions Offering, together with tithes, which helps in fulfilling this work.

The philosophy behind the McKeown Missions Offering is for all members in all nations to have a sense of belonging in the overall centrally-joined missions work of The Church of Pentecost as a body so that members in individual nations do not see themselves as doing their own mission work in the nation and not part of the overall picture. Hence, no amount is too small.

All these said, a group of people can also come together in each local assembly around the world and call themselves “Friends of Missions” and decide to contribute a certain fixed amount as a group or as individuals (or individuals within the group) to make donations to the Missions Office on routine basis – weekly, monthly, quarterly etc.

In case you have any question or enquiry, kindly contact me on WhatsApp number +254790259944.

God bless you and thank you for reading this piece.

S. K. Fianko-Larbi (Apostle)

[Missionary & National Head for The Church of Pentecost, Kenya]

[Coordinator for The Church of Pentecost Mission in East Africa]

In one of his presentations, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, made an illustration that struck me to write this article. During the presentation, he invited me and one Pastor Benjamin Ofei Badu to stand by the lectern while holding hands with him. He then urged Apostle Dr Jimmy Markin to preach the gospel to two of us – Pastor Benjamin Ofei Badu and myself – till we accepted Christ as our Lord and personal Saviour.

Upon the altar call extended to us by Apostle Dr Jimmy Markin, we abandoned the Chairman’s group (which illustratively representing the “camp of evil”) and responded to the gospel. It was at this stage that I had an intuition to write about the existential and relative “loneliness” of the devil, because when people hear the gospel and convert in their numbers to Christianity, they denounce evil so as to follow Christ. In other words, they abandon the camp of evil people to make the devil feel lonely as they settle with Christ.

In this article, we shall discuss the nature of the devil, how he operates, and the role the gospel plays in dealing with the devil and the evil associated with his activities. The overwhelming impression of the article is that the gospel is powerful enough to destroy the evil of society and diminish the influence of the devil.

Who is the Devil?

The Greek term for the devil is diabolos, which means “slanderer” or “accuser”. The devil is the epitome of the concept of evil and, as a result, he is alluded to severally as the prince of evil, evil spirit, Serpent, Lucifer, and demonic spirit. There are numerous similar assumptions about the devil in Scripture, and a cursory observation would prove that none of them is glorious or denotes a good person who helps people to worship God. No wonder he is the embodiment of scattered evil.

Traditionally, the devil is identified with idols, witchcraft, sorcery, ungodliness and wickedness.  The devil has been in existence right from the creation of the universe. His first recorded activity in the Scriptures is in Genesis 3:9-13 in which, acting through the Serpent, he deceived Adam and his wife to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden. Prior to that, God had forbidden them not to eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil as well as the fruit of life, but the devil, as typical of him deceived them to eat of the fruit (knowledge of good and evil) in rebellion against God.

Right after this event, evil continued to infest the human race to the extent that Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy and envy (Gen. 4:8). The succeeding generations were plunged into evil to the chagrin of God leading to His pronouncement of first judgement on the world with the flood (Gen. 9:1-17). 

The Biblical Perspective on the Devil                                                      

As stated above, most of the references to the devil in the Bible are tied to evil. They include social vices, destruction of human lives, rebellion against God, deception of people to disobey God or subtly swaying them from the precepts of Scripture. He is described in Genesis 3:1 as being crafty: “Now the serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”(Gen. 3:1, NIV). Basically, the way the devil is mentioned in scriptures and how God’s children are cautioned to beware of him live no doubt about the evil nature of his activities and his existence in the world.

Examining a few references to him, either directly or indirectly, may deepen our understanding of this discussion. The devil is referred to as Beelzebub (Matt. 12:24–27), thief (Jn. 10:10), father of lies and a murderer (Jn. 8:44), and the tempter (Matt. 4:3). The prophet Isaiah gives a unique description of the devil: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!” (Isa. 14:12, NKJV).

Isaiah sees him as the one who weakens the nations, ostensibly by his evil ploys, schemes, and wicked activities. This description of the devil gives a strong justification in the need for “Possessing the Nations” (Psalm 2:8) with values and principles of God’s Kingdom such as are being espoused by The Church of Pentecost. If the devil’s key task is to weaken the nations, God has also empowered His children to possess the nations to His glory.

The perception about the devil as the adversary of God is real and each religion has its own way in their attempts to deal with him. All the names ascribed to the devil portray him as the adversary of God and His children, and this understanding is held by all religions, particularly the Abrahamic religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

In Christianity, for example, everything about the devil represents evil, deception, and ungodliness (see Jn. 10:10) and there is no justification to consider any of his work as “good” or glorious. The references to him as the “evil one”, evil spirit, and demon inundate Christian theology and discourse. He is so hated that no genuine Christian audience will entertain anyone positive claim about the devil in the world. The names ascribed to him in scriptures are enough to attest to the belief that there is nothing good in the devil.

The Task of the Devil

The fundamental task of the devil is to deceive people (see Acts 5:3; 2 Cor. 11:3) so that they do not discover the truth in the gospel or the ways of God for their lives and worship Him. He is the originator of evil, deception, and the epitome of ungodliness. But knowing that the gospel is the church’s most effective weapon to disorganise his kingdom, he tries to do whatever he can to either discourage Christians from propagating the gospel or even deter non-Christians for accepting the gospel.  

Jesus’ statement about the devil in John 10:10 enhances our understanding of the real task of the devil: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (NIV). The devil is described in the above passage as a thief. Who is a thief and what does a thief do? A thief is somebody who steals another person’s wealth or property.

Every thief is a criminal and has a limited time to live; so can the devil or all who indulge in evil practices be described. The Bible says, “Do not fret because of evil people, or be envious of wicked people, for the evil person has no future, and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished” (Prov. 24:19, 20, NET).

The Phenomenon of “Killing” the Devil?

Today, it has become a common practice to see some Christians praying for the death of the devil but is it how the Bible enjoins us to do? We are aware of casting demons out of persons who are demon-possessed but not those who claim to have “killed” the demons entirely as purportedly being practiced in some churches (Matt. 10:8; Mk. 3:15; Lk. 11:20). Our duty as Christians is not to pray for the sudden demise of the devil, knowing very well that as a supernatural being his final destruction on earth will be executed by God himself. The cessation of existence of the devil is drawing closer by the immanence of the apocalypse. The Day of Judgement will be the doomsday of the devil and that is evident in Romans 16:20: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (NIV).

The final punishment of the devil to bring every activity of his to an abrupt end is the Judgement Day when God will judge the whole world (Acts 17:31; 2 Pet. 2:4). Until then, the devil continues with his ploys, schemes, craftiness, deceptions, and pretense, as usual. Sadly, these vices of his are so terrible that some people keep asking when the devil will die for humanity to enjoy an “evil-free” society?

Making the Devil Feel Lonely

In the face of struggling to answer the question about the demise of the devil, it is important to focus on the biblical models of handling him with his evil schemes that have affected the human race. There are a number of ways recommended in the Bible. They all suggest that the devil is not as fearful as people perceive him to be as long as one consistently and steadfastly remains in Christ; he can be dealt with to weaken his kingdom and influence even before his appointed time of God’s Judgement comes.

The devil does not operate in a vacuum. He largely operates with agents to unleash terror or evil against the precepts of God. My own Christian life is a typical example of how the gospel can be used as the weapon to destroy the works of evil and render the devil and his agents lonely.

My Personal Testimony

Growing up in my village, I was raised in a typical pagan community with idols dotted in front of almost every house. But when the gospel started taking hold in my community, the visibility of idols in the community began to wane. Like almost every person in my community, I also grew up worshipping idols, but something dramatic occurred when the gospel was preached to me.

I got converted to Christianity and denounced idolatry and evil practices. Later, my parents and many of my siblings, together with some members of my extended family, also followed suit leaving the family idols in the hands of few people. The conversion of the rest continued, making some of the idols I knew to fizzle out of power and influence because there were no longer worshippers to attend to them.

Today, walking through my community, the buildings containing some of the idols are broken down while some of them can be seen in dilapidated states, because the power of the gospel in the community has transformed the lives of many people leading to their denouncing of those idols. When the gospel is proclaimed under the power of the Holy Spirit, it renders the devil lonely. In other words, his influence consistently weakens long before his final judgement takes place.

The inference is that the influence of the devil or the activities of evil people in society can be dealt with not necessarily by only conventions and numerous laws, but mainly by the power of the gospel. When the gospel is preached with the focus on its capacity to transform people’s lives with the principles and values of God’s Kingdom, evil is made to stand alone. The devil himself tends to feel lonely, and the axis of evil is distorted. Thus, the church must give the gospel its rightful influence in society. 

For us as Christians, our main focus must not be on what the devil and evil people are capable of achieving, but rather, the propagation of the transforming power of the gospel should be our major weapon. The gospel carries authority to change people’s lives and makes them denounce their wickedness and all kinds of evil. A typical example is the conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1-8).

Saul’s Conversion and its Effect on Evil and Wicked Practices

Before his conversion, he was an agent of the devil with the passion to execute terror against Christians and to stop the rapid spread of the gospel. His evil was hailed by the people in his community but right after his conversion to Christianity, his life was transformed and he left the company of his wicked friends.

Instead of the Lord “killing” the devil that influenced Saul’s wicked decisions and actions, He rather revealed himself to Saul and that alone made him to denounce his wickedness against innocent people. His encounter with Christ on his way to Damascus led to the then Saul’s dissociation from his friends and thus rendering the devil relatively lonely. In other words, by his conversion hell was depopulated and the kingdom of God on earth populated. Whenever evil people like Saul get converted, the devil becomes frustrated because he has lost a committed agent and that can always happen if Christians witness the gospel to people.

Christians must know that the appointed day for the devil is coming, but for us to break the syndicate of evil, we must make the propagation of the gospel our main focus. The fact is that the gospel is very powerful enough to dismantle the works of the devil and that is clear in 2 Corinthians 10:5: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (NIV).      

The understanding here is that instead of giving the devil too much attention, it is good to remain constantly in the Lord, live by the principles and values of God’s kingdom, and make the propagation of the gospel under the power of the Holy Spirit a way of life. When the gospel enters a society, the first thing that takes place is the breaking of every stronghold of the devil while disorganising the formation of evildoers and that has always been our reason for testimony.

Above all, the Bible says, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 Jn. 4:4, NIV). This biblical passage assures Christians of the authority they possess. It means that every Christian is superior to the devil and what is required is for the person to sustain his superiority by living a righteous life, being prayerful, and remaining faithful to the Lord. For the Bible says, “No weapon forged against you will prevail…” (Isa. 54:17, NIV). What this means is that there are certain kind of weapons but God’s assurance gives us an authority over them. Thus, for this assurance to always work for Christians, we need to consistently abide in Christ (Jn. 15:1-13; Col. 2:6).

Conclusion

The devil exists but the believer in Christ is divinely resourced with the power of the gospel to expand God’s Kingdom of light at the expense of the devil’s kingdom of darkness. Wherever evil and corruption triumph, the transforming power of the gospel is the solution. The devil fears the gospel because when people receive it in totality, their lives are transformed and evil is denounced making the devil feels lonely and more frustrated (cf. 1 John 3:8; 5:18).

The strength of a Christian is not only about binding and casting evil from society, but also by witnessing the Good News to humankind and teaching people to make way for God’s Kingdom values and principles to take pre-eminence in their hearts and minds. When their minds are taken captive by the power of the Holy Spirit, the devil will be left stranded and wandering in loneliness.

Any Christian with authority of God must not relent on the propagation of the gospel. It is a powerful weapon to disorganise the forces of darkness and render the enemy’s kingdom powerless. If there is one great mission for every Christian to accomplish in his lifetime, it is the vigorous propagation of the gospel to overcome the whims and caprices of the forces of darkness, thus possessing the nations for Christ.

The gospel is enough to equip the church as an army of God to possess the nations and that explains why Christians must not rationalise the vigorous propagation of the gospel. Being aware of this, Paul says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:6, NIV) and that must also be the watchword of every Christian.

Vincent Anane Denteh (Rev.)

Email: vadentcop@gmail.com

© 2022

Four significant issues have dominated discussions amongst the Ghanaian citizenry and the prints and media landscape since the last half of 2021. They are the draft bill on “Proper Sexual Rights and Ghanaian family values Bill 2021”, The proposed E-Levy introduced in the 2022 budget considerations and the retrogressive wind of Coup d’etat blowing across Sub-Saharan Africa countries, with the most recent occurring in Burkina Faso. The Universities Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has also embarked upon a strike action since the beginning of the 2021/2022 academic year.

The Bill on “Proper Sexual Rights and Ghanaian family values” introduced in Ghana’s parliament in July 2021 went through its first reading in August 2021, with subsequent readings and debates on it expected at any moment. Whereas a whooping majority across the rank and file in both political divides seem to support the Bill, some notable academicians, legal luminaries and civil society organizations do not accept the Bill in its present format. They wonder why people’s bedroom freedoms and rights should become a matter of public discourse. They also dread the dire economic consequences to the nation from its developing partners who have openly kicked against the Bill. Most Ghanaians across the religious divide are determined to see the passage of the Bill. At the same time, the international community with elements from within insists its passage will infringe on people’s human rights.

The proposed Electronic Transaction Levy (i.e. E-levy) is a tax applied on transactions made on electronic or digital platforms in Ghana. Tabled by the finance minister during the 2022 budget reading, the citizenry appears almost divided on the issue concerning its suitability or otherwise. While some argue that it is appropriate for the nation’s development, others insist it is regressive and a full display of insensitivity towards the Ghanaian populace. Others are also for the E-levy but think the government must reduce it drastically from the proposed 1.75%. Four (4) months after its first introduction, there seems to be no end in sight concerning the brawls, chaos, bitter exchanges amongst civil society organizations, the two main political parties, the Executive and the legislative arms of government.

Whereas one party insists it is the best thing that can ever happen to the country to reduce its infrastructural deficits, the other party remains determined not to support its passage into law. The latter argues the government must instead focus on the prudent financial management of the country’s resources by mainly cutting down wastages. In human co-existence, no party wins in any stand-off situation when they take entrenched positions. The canon of scriptures has many examples of sharp disagreements on issues related to the E-levy stand-off in Ghana today.

Then comes the eight (8) weeks UTAG strike. Whiles the government insists on maintaining some macroeconomic balance in its offer, UTAG are determined to go the full haul and collect what they term as their due, which they think is long overdue. Not an exciting time to opt to lead in a world bearing the brunt of the fall out of the Covid crisis, the menace of Coup d’etat have also reared their ugly head in Sub-Saharan Africa. In any family or societal setting, anytime there is an issue, and one party insists on a course of action with the other also determined not to give in, there is bound to be a destructive stand-off complex to resolve.

The book of Genesis chapters 37-45 narrates some happenings within the household of one of the Christian faith pillars in Jacob’s person. There were about three  stand-offs that attempted to tear his family apart. In every one of them, when there was no headway in sight, Judah seems to possess the magic wand to turn things around and keep their family and the progeny of Jacob alive. The object of this article is not to necessarily side with any of the opposing arguments but rather look at their collective effect on our national cohesion as a people and recommend one surest way out of these stand-offs.

Judah was the fourth son born to Jacob and Leah’s first wife. At a point, Jacob’s household consisted of not less than eighteen (18) people comprising Jacob, his two wives and their respective maids, twelve strong boys together and their only sister Diana. Looking at the dynamics of this household, a total of not less than five possible factions could be operating amongst their ranks. The notable ones are Jacob’s first wife Leah and her seven (7) children, Rachel and her two (2) children, Zilpah and her two (2) children. Others are Bilhah and her two (2) children and Jacob and Joseph, due to the special love and bond.  We should, therefore, not be surprised about the different ideological orientations amongst the Ghanaian populace with a population not less than 30 million. Members of Jacob’s household were to bury all their differences and live in harmony as one family. Try as they did, some schisms were still brewing, especially when Jacob offered Joseph the coat of many colours to signify his special love for him. Young lad Joseph’s problems got compounded when he began to report the evil deeds of his senior brothers to Jacob, his Dad. Besides, his dreams also suggested someone holding the future leadership mantle. There was, therefore, a sudden spike in their level of hatred for him. “… And they hated him all the more…” (Genesis 37:8)

One faithful day, Jacob sent Joseph to go and check how his brothers were faring after they took the flock for grazing. When a man found him wandering in the plains of Shechem, he asked him what he was looking for, and he responded, saying, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?” (Genesis 37:16). Joseph was directed to their exact location in Dothan. As they saw him coming from a distance, those he wholeheartedly referred to as his brothers said to each other,” Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.” (Genesis 37:20). Per his brothers, Joseph’s crime was the expose’ of the evil deeds to their Dad, his night dreams and Jacob’s special love for him through no fault of his. So, even before he got closer to them, they plotted what could be likened to a coup d’etat since they could not just contain the fulfillment of the dreams of serving under him.

It is also quite instructive to learn that coup-makers always peddle falsehood, exaggeration, and lies to justify their actions. Joseph’s brothers said, “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. “(Genesis 37:20). Irrespective of the type of governance style chosen by nations, God is still the major stakeholder in the affairs of all countries of the earth. Therefore, every happening must fit well into His divine calendar of activities culminating to the end of the age. He, thus, selects, appoints, allows, endorses or approves whoever is leading any nation at any given time (Romans 13:1). Before this day, Joseph’s brothers had begun hatching plans of eliminating him and overthrowing all his dreams of ever leading them. They, therefore, saw a considerable relief accruing to them should they overthrow everything “Joseph” and his dreams. They were looking for the slightest opportunity to stage that coup against him.

Coup experts or those who have gained notoriety for staging coups in this world, I believe given a second chance would not give it a try. The misery, chaos, bloodshed, civil unrest and decline of the developmental agenda coupled with their failures are visible for all to attest. Primarily, every leader aspires to lead and better the lots of their citizens within the mandated period. Sheer hatred, ideological differences, envy, jealousy or visible challenges in governance should never become the basis for planning their unconstitutional overthrow. The God who endorsed and approved the inaugural ceremonies of leaders is the same God who supervises their exit as and when He deems fit.

Then, the planned coup d’etat began to unfold. “So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.” (Genesis 37:23-24). Before this move, Reuben, the senior-most amongst them, tried his best to prevent the shedding of his blood which was the next on their agenda. He, therefore, suggested they instead detain him in a nearby empty well in the wilderness, pending their final decision. Joseph’s brothers then sat down to take their meal. According to the account from verses 24-30, Reuben was unsuccessful in his rescue attempt of Joseph because the latter would be killed and buried in that cistern. Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob’s children, represents all the efforts humankind can ever make to prevent needless bloodshed and chaos through the staging of coups. From 2010, the following countries have suffered coup d’etat or its attempt; Yemen, Turkey, Myanmar, Tunisia, Guinea, Mali, Central African Republic, Niger, Sudan, DR Congo, Burundi, Lesotho, Chad, Ethiopia, Gabon. The rest are Zimbabwe, Libya, Egypt, Guinea Bissau and the most recent Burkina Faso. Do you think there are no “Reubens” or highly respected senior and honourable citizens in these countries? How many haven’t Civil Society groups published extensively on the consequences of coups in Africa or Sub-Saharan Africa? What literature of sound reasoning don’t we have on the effects of coups in the third world? And what military strategies haven’t the developed nations partnered with their Sub-Saharan countries to put in place to avert the possible overthrow of their governments? How many world-renowned peace brokers and experts in mediation haven’t been engaged to bring their expertise to bear on the menace of coup d’etat?

As it appeared that time was ticking for the life of innocent Joseph to ebb away without even a chance for a befitting burial, Judah, the fourth Son of Jacob who did not come from the same matrilineal line as Joseph lifted his hands to submit. Quiet as they listen to his offer, including Senior brother Reuben, he said, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood. ” His brothers agreed.” (Genesis 37:26-27). Joseph’s bloodthirsty, jealous and power-drunk brothers to agree with Judah’s submission after ignoring Reuben meant there was something more than meets the eye in that intervention. Equally loaded with some level of risk and uncertainties for Joseph was this bitter and by force transfer or relocation to Egypt as an enslaved person per Judah’s intervention. Time was, however, going to judge the wisdom in the latter’s submission that prevented the needless bloodshed and gained general acceptance by the other siblings. It is now clear that when certain elements in the society are burnt on, causing mayhem with deep-seated hatred garnished with their self-interest, the “Judahs” must be sought and allowed to intervene. Who are the “Judahs” in the country? And where are their offices in Ghana to report the activities of the coup mongers? These are some of the questions the article will attempt to answer

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On their way back home, Joseph’s brothers killed a goat, dipped his ornate robe in its blood, and reported to Jacob, their father, that an animal had torn Joseph into pieces (Genesis 37:31-35). At this, Jacob mourned for many days. It, however, brought some temporal fulfilment to the brothers because the one who appeared to be a nuisance had been overthrown and dispatched to a place of no return. Temporal “relief” but permanent struggle with the self is always the lots of all who believe in eliminating perceived opponents by rough tactics.

By the passage of time, and against all odds, Joseph the slave boy rose by God’s help and through Judah’s intervention to occupy the highest administrative office in the whole Land of Egypt. Yes, the Prime Minister or Governor of Egypt at the time famine had begun hitting the entire world then. (Genesis 41:57: 42:6). Concerning Joseph, Pharaoh said, “You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only concerning the throne will I be greater than you”. He continued, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word, no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.” (Genesis 41:40, 44). Wow!

When the famine became severe, Jacob sent his children to Egypt to buy grain. (Genesis 42:2). Joseph recognized his brothers when they got to his palace, but he intentionally decided to drill them to get more information about Jacob, his Dad and Benjamin, his brother (Gen 42:7-21). During their drilling exercise, they told Joseph in Genesis 42:14, “Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the Land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.” Coup makers usually have lots of regrets when the realities on the ground, which does not support their skewed impressions at the time of staging the coups, begins to dawn on them. Like Joseph’s brothers, these are some of the words they say to themselves in their native language, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.”(Vs 21). They did not realize that Joseph understood everything they were saying since he used an interpreter. The “Reubens” representing the CSOs, senior and respected citizens of the Land whose advice and research findings get easily ignored, also have a lot to say when things go hey wire. Reuben told them, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” (Vs 23)

Then came the stand-off between Joseph and his brothers regarding their bail condition since Joseph had incarcerated them for three days arguing they were spies. Simeon was bound to remain in custody until they brought Benjamin to Egypt to meet the bail conditions. By so doing, Joseph would strike out the preliminary charge of conspiracy to overthrow the Egyptian government. Joseph had charged them during their interrogation that, “You have come to see where our Land is unprotected (Genesis 42:12). We can also learn from here that, even when they repent and have nothing more under their sleeves, certified coup makers and their conspirators are never trusted again during the days of their lives. When they got home with their food supply, they realized Joseph had returned their silver in each one’s sack. They explained to Jacob the condition under which Simeon would be released from detention. Jacob had this to say, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me! ” When it was becoming difficult to convince Jacob to release Benjamin, Reuben the first born again told his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back.” Jacob did not mince words when he replied to Reuben, saying, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead, and he is only one left.” (Genesis 42:36-38)

Reuben was determined to do whatever possible for Jacob to release Benjamin to him. He even offered to sacrifice his two Sons to be put to death should he fail to bring Benjamin back. Jacob, however, insisted he was not going to entertain any such discussion again with his children. This can be likened to the E-Levy stand-off in Ghana today between the sitting NPP government and opposition NDC. Meanwhile, Simeon was still in detention in far away Egypt, with the issue of the famine worsening by the day whiles the stand-off between the parties back home in Canaan persisted. Jacob’s insistence on not releasing Benjamin was not necessarily helping or providing any relief to the pain he was going through. Apart from mourning “late” Joseph, Simeon had also been detained. Reuben’s arguments and all the concessions he offered on the table also lacked credibility because his record as the leader of the brothers did not support his argument.

To Jacob, Simeon, and Joseph, his beloved son had not been accounted for under Reuben’s leadership except for heart-wrenching stories after each trip. Similarly, there is justification in those who insist on passing the E-levy and those determined to resist its passage. Four (4) months down the lane, this stand-off is having dire consequences on the nation’s economy, not to talk of deep division and cracks it is creating amongst the rank and file of the populace. Members at the chamber of parliament representing their constituencies are also not having it easy at all. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and its severe consequences for the world’s economy already at its knees due to the ravages of Covid-19 are not going to offer Ghana’s economic indices any particular respect. The famine, which cared less about their stand-off as a household on the issue of Benjamin, continued biting so hard until they ran out of food supply. Jacob then called his children and said, “Go back and buy us a little more food.” (Genesis 43:2b).

For the second time, Judah lifted his hands to make a submission when it appeared Jacob and Reuben were not making any headway out of their stand-off. He reminded Jacob that there was no way they could return to Egypt to buy any more grain without Benjamin. He said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me, and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. (Genesis 43:8-10). Quite revealing in Judah’s submission is the use of the expression “I myself”, “all of my life”, and “guarantee his safety”. These expressions resonate very well with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, respectively. God’s first, middle and surname, according to Exodus 3:14, is “I AM THAT I AM”. Jesus Christ offered His life, took our place, bore our iniquities and was personally held responsible for our sins (1 Peter 2:24). In Ephesians 1:14, the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance. We, therefore, see the whole triune God unleashed through the person of Judah and his submission. It is also worth noting that whereas Reuben promised to sacrifice his two sons should there be any mishap with the trip with Benjamin, Judah was offering his own life.

It is, therefore, not surprising that, just after Judah’s submission, Father Jacob could not contain the stand-off anymore. He said to his sons, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the Land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift —a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”(43:8-14). The above refreshing reading shows that no matter the complexities when the “Judahs” intervene in any stand-off, the parties give in, fine-tune and offers even more than the subject matter of the dispute and add their blessings to it. When Judah speaks, He does not only allay all fears and calm down jittery nerves. He also soothes all pains and causes even the most troubled to offer their best to society. One would ask, what at all do the “Judahs” have and put in their submissions that the “Reubens” lack? “Judah” must, therefore, be invited and allowed to break the deadlock in the stand-off concerning the E-Levy and the UTAG strike.

Joseph’s brothers then set off with Benjamin to Egypt to buy more food and possibly bail Simeon, their incarcerated brother, back home. They safely got to Egypt with all the relief from the broken stand-off and the prospects of reuniting with Simeon and their father when they return with Benjamin. Little did they know that another challenging stand-off at the palace of Joseph the Governor was awaiting them. When Joseph saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he was deeply moved, rushed out to an inner room and wept because he could not control himself (Genesis 43:29-30). Joseph finally organized a feast and dined with his brothers, seated according to their ages.

Before returning home, Joseph instructed his servants to load each one’s sack according to the food supply it could carry free of charge. As a continuation of the drill he took his brothers through, he instructed his steward to secretly add to Benjamin’s sack his personal silver cup before allowing them to leave (Genesis 44:2). They all set off back to Cannan with Simeon and Benjamin but were intercepted a few miles away from Egypt, and they were slapped with another charge of having stolen Joseph’s silver cup. During the interrogation, a deal was struck that whoever is found to have the silver cup would be killed. Joseph’s brothers said, “ If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my Lord’s slaves. Very well, then,” Joseph’s steward said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame (Genesis 44:9-10).

Joseph’s steward searched and found the silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. At this, Joseph’s brothers tore their clothes, loaded their donkey and returned to the City. Per the deal struck, they returned to offer Benjamin as an enslaved person in Joseph’s palace and possibly serve with him per the offer they initially put up. Joseph told them the ten of them could freely go back to Cannan, but the terms of the deal would not allow Benjamin to go with them. Conspicuously missing was Reuben’s voice this time around. Reuben kept mute in this stand-off between Joseph and his brothers concerning Benjamin. Was it that he had learned his lesson not to intervene in such difficult stand-offs again? Or had he come to his wit’s end as the firstborn amongst them? Did Reuben’s loud silence suggest he had already given up and warming and psyching himself to start serving as a slave in Egypt? Or he advised himself not to attempt any submission this time around since it appeared more complex than the first two, which he was even not successful? When the going gets tough, the “Reubens” loses their voices and become helpless. This can be likened to the LGBTQII+ puzzle or stand-off facing most developing nations today, with Ghana not being an exception.

Any attempt to re-align humankind’s conscience with that of God, their creator in sexual orientation is met with fierce resistance and indirect sanctions of all kinds by the developed and United Nations. It is, therefore, not surprising that the “Reubens” of our day have suddenly lost not only their confidence but also their voices in breaking the LGBTQII+ stand-off confronting our dear nation. Whiles Joseph’s brothers were determined to take Benjamin back to their Old man Jacob, Joseph also insisted on taking Benjamin as his slave. Similarly, whereas most Ghanaians are determined to ensure the Bill on “Proper Sexual Rights and Ghanaian family values” is passed, others, with the support of our development partners, insist the Bill should not be allowed to become a law.

Apart from God’s utter disapproval of LGBTQII+, it is as though the nation is being forced to swallow a bitter pill larger than the entire circumference of our neck as a people. Is it because we need one aid or the other from our development partners? Similarly, Joseph’s brothers in that drill were being forced to accept that Benjamin, their youngest brother was an ungrateful thief who needed to serve as an enslaved person in Egypt. This was a difficult moment for them. No wonder Reuben lost his voice!

Then again, Judah raised his hands to make a submission saying, “let me speak a word to my lord…”. He concluded his speech with this offer to Joseph, “ Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life! Now then, please let your servant remain here as my Lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? No! (Genesis 44:32-34).

The greatest punch in Judah’s submission is when he said, “Please let your servant remain here as my Lord’s slave in place of Benjamin so he can return with his brothers”. Wow! That was the person of Christ speaking through Judah. After all, that is what Jesus Christ became for all sinners. He surrendered Himself as the perfect substitute to break the stand-off between God and humankind. He just could not have returned to Heaven without His marriage certificate as the bridegroom and believers as the bride.

After his submission, the entire atmosphere changed. In Genesis 45:1-14, ” Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So, there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers……., “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!……. Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterwards, his brothers talked with him. Judah, the one with the magic wand, does it again by breaking the deadlock and stand-off.

With the LGBTQII+ puzzle, which appears to be getting complex by the day, I humbly implore all the “Reubens” in our Ghanaian society to keep quiet as Reuben did and allow the “Judahs” to continue with their submission. They should not fall into the trap of canvassing for the brothers to accept and begin serving as slaves in the cultures of the Egyptians. Although Judah was the fourth of Jacob’s sons, he represented a typology of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is also known as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. This explains why He could break all the deadlocks and difficult stand-offs Reuben, the firstborn representing human effort and wisdom, could not solve. The association between Judah and the Lion of Judah can first be found in the blessing given by Jacob to his son Judah in the book of Genesis 49:9. The Lion of Judah is also mentioned in the book of Revelations 5:5; 19:11-16 as a term representing Jesus Christ.

When Judah intervened, it saved Joseph from that well-rehearsed assassination attempt on his life. It also prevented the Old Man, Jacob, from joining his ancestors in grief and pain. It preserved the progeny of Israel even until today as well as maintaining the cohesion between all the camps within the 12 brothers riddled with sharp differences at the time. This was only achievable through “Judahs” intervention. I, therefore, admonish all believers to seize every opportunity to be a “Judah” so the “Josephs” can be preserved for God’s purposes to come to pass.

The “Judah’s” are those vessels through which the Lord makes His counsel known and ensures His divine purposes are brought to bear in all situations. They represent you and me in whichever capacities the Lord has placed us. Scripture says our conversations should be seasoned with salts and grace so it will edify our hearers. We cannot continue to speak anyhow and insult the Elderly and those in authority under the guise of freedom of speech.

Difficult as the threats of Coup d’etat, the E-Levy, LGBTQII+ and UTAG stand-offs may appear, the Lion of the tribe of Judah acting through the “Judahs” of the Land have arisen and started making their submission. As we keep on praying, the Lord Jesus will work through them and by the time they are done, all the hard knots will be untied for the deadlock to be broken. I would also advise all parties to any stand-off, be it within the household, society, organization or the Socio-political space, to give in once the “Judahs” intervene. History informs us that all protracted stand-off ends up in a lose-lose situation.

God bless our homeland Ghana! Long Live Ghana!