THE SPIRITUAL BASIS AND THE DYNAMISM OF SPIRITUAL WORK IN CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST

THE SPIRITUAL BASIS AND THE DYNAMISM OF SPIRITUAL WORK IN CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST

‎

The topic is aimed to position us well in order to come to the understanding of this indispensable act in our great church. The importance of this topic in such a time as this can never be overemphasized due to the following:

(i) Wrong misconception of spiritual work by Celestians and non Celestians

(ii) The result of which has led to major exodus from the church

(iii) Perception of the church has being an occultic group

(iv) Abuse of spiritual work by some shepherds, prophets, and those in authourity

In order to achieve the aim of this study, we shall proceed with the following examinations:

A. CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST

Celestial church of Christ came to being by a divine order on 29th September 1947 in PortNovo, Republic of Benin through the founder of the church, Rev. Pastor Prophet Founder Samuel Bilewu Joseph Oschoffa (Second schedule section 1). By divine order means that the church did not emerge as a result of a break away or one founded by human circumstances.

What was the divine order?

"It is the wish of God to send you on an errand of preaching to the world. Many nominal Christians there are who, when confronted by difficulties and problems of this world, they run after fetish priests and other powers of darkness for all kinds of assistance. Consequently, on their death, they cannot see Christ because, by their action, Satan has left his spiritual mark on them. To assist you in your work so that men may listen to and follow you, miraculous works of Holy divine healing will be carried out by you in the name of Jesus Christ. These works of divine healing and God's spiritual mark on you will testify to the fact that God sent you"(Section 2 paragraph 2 of CCC constitution). 

CCC Hymn 732 corroborated this emphasizing strongly the living and timely mandate given to the church

"We authourize forth from Heaven

That Celestial church should increase

We authourize forth from heaven

That it should replenish

Till the sufferings of this world

Shall all flee from this earth

Until Jesus our Saviour

Shall rerurn to this world"

The name of the Church also came down from Heaven by divine revelation through MR. ALEXANDER YANGA, who was at that time undergoing spiritual healing at the residence of the Pastor Founder and who was held in trance for seven days. At the end of the seventh day, he asked for a piece of chalk and wrote the name of the Church on the wall thus.. "EGLISE DU CHRISTLANISME CELESTE", meaning "Celestial Church of Christ" (Section 2 paragraph 3 of CCC constitution)

It is important to stress here that Celestial church of Christ works and operates under the leading and influence of the Holy Spirit.

B. SPIRITUAL WORK

We shall attempt to define spiritual work from the root words. Spiritual work can be defined as an exercise or act carried out as directed by the Holy Spirit to achieve a desired result. What this means is that we can not by our physical senses try to understand how realistic a spiritual work is. It is a spiritual work! Spiritual work most times is to show man's involvement for a divine manifestation. It may involve the usage of some materials or none at all as directed.

A spiritual work can be carried out for

(i) Protection (ii) Favour (iii) Blessing (iv) Healing (v) Victory (vii) Fruitfulness among others.

Examples of this can be found in the scriptures.

(i) Protection: A word came to Joseph after the birth of Jesus Christ which ordered him to take the baby to Egypt unless instructed to leave there (Matthew 2:13-15). This can be likened to the spiritual confinement in CCC. Also the instruction given to the Israelites to kill a 1-year old male sheep or a goat and take some of the blood and put on the door post and above the doors in the Goshen area of Egypt (Exodus 12:1-14) was for their protection.

(ii) Favour: The favour that Esther got from the King was a result of the fast that was carried out earlier before approaching the throne (Esther 4:16, 5:1-3)

(iii) Blessings: The poor widow who was helped by Elisha entered her realm of unlimited blessings after carrying out the instructions from the prophet of God (2Kings 4:1-7). The provision of wine at the wedding in Canaan came after the disciples carried out the instruction they were given (John 2:1-2)

(iv) Healing: The healing of Naaman's leprosy was made possible after a spiritual work of stream bath in River Jordan (2Kings 5:1-15). Also the man born blind received his sight after Jesus Christ spat on the ground and made some mud with the spittle which he rubbed on the man' s face and instructed him to go and wash his face in the pool of Siloam (John 9:1-7).

(v) Victory:  The wall of Jericho that fell down flat only happened after a 7days walk, 7 times march and a loud shout (Joshua 6:1-20). Also, the people wete only able to cross River Jordan after God instructed the priest to move ahead with the covenant box (Joshua 3:1-17).

These are many more examples in the Holy Bible.

SPIRITUAL WORK IN CCC

Several spiritual works which has yielded great results have been carried out and are still being carried out in Celestial Church of Christ. One can only imagine how many of such is carried out on some peculiar days like the victory days and some specific hours of the day. Some of these acts have yielded the desired result while in some cases, it seems as if nothing was done.

It is important to stress here that spiritual work does not necessarily involve the use of materials (unless otherwise directed). Activities like fast, giving of alms to the needy, spiritual confinement all falls under spiritual work. However, there have been some misconceptions about spiritual work that involves materials (like candles, coconut, palmfrond, egg, and stream among others) which we shall try to focus on.

The first spiritual work to be carried out in the above regard according to the church's constitution was by the Pastor Founder when he was instructed to insert a needle in an egg to put an end to an ocean surge (Section 2 paragrah 38 & 39 of CCC constitution).

We must however come to the understanding of the following if we are to get the desired result from spiritual work.

(i) The direction must come from a true source. Is the instruction from God or from man?

This can be inferred from the first spiritual work by the Pastor Founder earlier cited:

38. "The next notable event was at the town of GRANPOPO where the sea had overflown its banks thus constituting a serious problem. Because of the news reaching him of various miracles wrought by Christ through me, the chief of the town sent word to me in PORTO NOVO that the sea had penetrated the town and had destroyed all their houses. He sent word that they believed that God had sent me and that there was nothing that God could not do. He implored me to come and stop the sea washing away their entire township. I prepared to go, taking six people with me including Wolida AFOSE YANGA, his wife Elder SILVESTIN, YAMAN and Leader MATHIAS from DANNU.

.39. "When we got to the sea front at GRANPOPO, I saw a European Catholic Reverend Father carrying a curved shepherd's staff standing by the sea, and the sea pushed him back as he prayed with the staff. But when I got there, I was told by HIM that sent me that to HIM the entire world was like an egg and that similarly the sea was like a needle. I was further instructed that I should, therefore, insert a needle in an egg in full view of all the inhabitants of GRANPOPO and throw the egg with the needle into the sea which would carry it away. I did as I was instructed as it was not my wish but that of HIM that sent me. A miracle happened, the sea receded completely.

(ii) Spiritual work should not therefore be based on prescription but by a divine instruction. This is in fact a major issue in our church today. We now hear of certain spiritual work for victory, blessings, progress, and so on.

We must come to this understanding that a particular spiritual work can solve Mr. X's ailment, whereas, it may not solve the similar ailment of Mr. Y. The scripture established this submission to confirm the dynamics of spiritual work:

- Naaman had to undergo a stream bath to be cured of leprosy. Whereas, Jesus Christ in his encounter with the ten leepers only instructed them to go to the priest for an examination and were made clean on thier way (Luke 17:11-19).

- The red sea parted after Moses raised his rod over it (Exodus 14:16). Whereas, river Jordan parted when the priests stepped into it with the covenant box (Joshua 3:1-17).

- Jesus Christ needed to give only a word for Blind Bartimaeus to receive his sight (Mark 10:46-52). Whereas, he had to spit on the ground to make mud before the man born blind could see (John 9:1-7).

- Also, Jesus Christ had to call out Lazarus from the tomb for him to come back to life (John 11:38-44). Whereas, he had to take Jarius' dead daughter by the hand before calling her back to life (Luke 8:40-56).

We may therefore be wrong trying to establish a particular spiritual work in the scriptures if you are not instructed to do same. Definitely, Gehazi would have attempted to go for a stream bath after Elisha inflicted on him leprosy (2Kings 5:26-27).

(iii) Adherence to spiritual work must be prompt and carried out according to details. For example, the healing of Naaman would have been impossible had it been, he dipped himself in Jordan only 6 times or if he had gone to another river for his stream bath as he earlier suggested.

Spirtual work can therefore only avail when done in obedience and with faith.

CONCLUSION

We can deduce the following having examined the dynamics of Spiritual work:

(i) God has the ultimate power to get things done but atimes, he requires man's involvement for his desired result.

(ii) Spirirual work atimes is also to show that the power to heal, deliver, bless belongs to God Almighy. This Naaman was made to understand when he though that the healing power rests on Elisha (2Kings 5:11)

(iii) We should come to the understanding that not all spiritual work requires materials (unless instructed).

(iv) Prompt obedience and faith is critical for any type of spiritual work to yield its desired result.

(v) The efficacy of spiritual work can be seen after a man has played his own role prior to the message.

Credit: Deyemi Balogun‎