By Gilbert Ekezie
It was a weekend of explosive miracles, deliverance and showers of blessing at the just concluded two-day crusade of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries. The event was held at the expansive ground of the 500-bed General Hospital, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Before the event, the church had deployed massive publicity with people on horses and motorcades, as well as others blowing trumpets and engaging in acrobatic displays, all creating awareness. The weather was also favourable, although it had been raining in Bayelsa just before the date.
The crusade, entitled ‘Arrival of the master’ lived up to expectations. The General Overseer and presiding minister, Pastor Lazarus Muoka said the Master of all masters, Jesus Christ, had arrived in grand style to remove sicknesses, diseases and all problems troubling the participants.
Shortly after the programme commenced on the first day, miracles started happening. As soon as Pastor Muoka mounted the pulpit, he encouraged the participants to shout Jesus three times. And then, many claimed that they started receiving their miracles.
Many physically challenged persons with broken bones, spinal cord injuries, stroke and paralyses became healed.
A partially paralysed middle-aged man from Ndoro in Bayelsa State, Mr. Bright was among those healed. So also was Mr. George Maka, who had been crippled for 24 years, and Diezani Torukaru who had been battling a spinal cord injury for 12 years.
The second day even recorded greater miracles. Mr. Theophilous Barasioribre, who had been mentally challenged for five years, regained his senses. According to his mother who brought him to the crusade in chains, the family had visited all known prayer houses and psychiatric hospitals to no avail. She enthused that the problem had been solved by God at the Chosen crusade.
“God has really put a new song in my mouth and restored cheerfulness and joy that had long eluded my family. The yoke of madness was completely broken and my son’s sanity restored,” she said.
Mr. Adouye and his wife Beauty, who had been deaf and dumb for decades, were also healed. When the General Overseer asked they should be tested to confirm the veracity of their claims, they recited numbers one to ten and the crowd cheered.
Another couple, Mr. Chamberlin and Mrs. Gertrude Inyama, 45 and 42 respectively, were also healed of deafness and dumbness. Another woman openly testified that her eight-year-old daughter, who had been deaf and dumb from birth, could talk. Many others, including Mr. Kelvin Nabena, Mr. Evans Useni, Mr. Oputa John, Esther Patrick and Blessing Ukenibo were also healed of sundry ailments and conditions.
In his ministration, Pastor Lazarus Muoka warned the participants not to credit the miracles to him but to God who gives the power of healing and deliverance.
“God is the doer of miracles and all glory should be ascribed unto Him. The good works you have seen were evidences of the arrival of the Master, Jesus Christ, because whenever He arrives in any situation, there will always be divine transformation and solution in peoples’ lives, as could be testified from what had happened in your presence.”
Muoka said Bayelsa State would also be blessed and know the effect of the blessing after the crusade.
“God Almighty has decided to bless the government, prosper the state and use the crusade to draw souls in Bayelsa State to Himself and make them saints, so that when the trumpet shall sound, all shall make heaven in Jesus name.”
Muoka explained that his heart’s desire for the people of Bayelsa State was for them to serve God righteously in order to be blessed. “It is righteousness that exalts a nation. If the people of Bayelsa seek the kingdom of God first, every other good thing shall be added to them.”
Among dignitaries present at the event were the Commissioner for Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ibegi Saviour, chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Bayelsa branch, Archbishop Jacob Akpiri, High Chief of Atisa kingdom, Sir Okulovie Obhoo Diekivie, Bishop Selekowe Idon of the Rapture ministry, Amarata Yenagoa and many others.