Makandiwa dares pastors for public demo

By Victoria Ruzvidzo

United Family International Church leader Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa has challenged pastors from various denominations to come forward in their numbers and test for themselves if he is a true man of God or is being used by evil spirits as has been alleged.

Speaking to thousands of worshippers at his Chitungwiza church on Sunday, Prophet Makandiwa said it was unfortunate that men of God had chosen to judge him as if they were qualified to do so.

“We are not afraid to be examined. All pastors and bishops in Zimbabwe should come and pray for me for one hour and when they finish I will only need five seconds to pray for them and let’s see who is possessed.

“In this case I am not calling for witch doctors but men of God. You can’t say I am possessed and yet God called me to chase away demons. I am here. . . help me if I am possessed by a demon. If you have made up your mind we will give you the chance to pray for me before everyone and prove to everyone that I am possessed.”

This comes in the wake of incessant attacks from pastors and bishops who accuse him of using satanic powers to perform miracles such as healing the sick, miraculous births, weight loss and other deliverances. His gospel of prosperity has also elicited wrath from some pastors. Prophet Makandiwa said it was unfortunate that some of his critics rushed to write articles in newspapers instead of challenging him directly.

“We want people with guts. Those who say they are men of God. . . why rush to write in the papers. Just come. Those who criticise miracles about weight loss only do so at a distance but we have asked them to bring their own scales but they are not coming.

“We can’t have thousands of people against one person and that person continues to achieve success. . . What kind of a God do we worship?”

“Why do we have people who are not part of us and they want to judge us. . . discern your spirit first before you discern others as written in the bible. You can’t be stealing and committing adultery and then you want to discern others.”

His sermon on Sunday was premised on John 16 verse 7 on the coming of the Holy Spirit who gave christians the ability to discern the works of God from those of the devil. Prophet Makandiwa said it was unfortunate that some “purported” men of God had the wrong spirit themselves which is why they could not believe that God could not perform miracles in the manner he was doing.

“I have realised that most people have received the wrong spirit. You can’t have the Holy Ghost and yet find it difficult to believe in miracles. . . it’s impossible.”

He contrasted his situation with that in the bible in which one Simeon of Samaria, who was a witch, used his powers and people ended up believing that he was used of God until Phillip came to expose him.

“Isn’t it amazing that I am allowing you to test me. Spirits are supposed to be tested,” he stressed.

But he warned: “If you don’t understand the prophetic you cannot judge the prophetic. If you want to judge then be in the prophetic and learn the word of God.”

During the sermon Prophet Makandiwa was quoting scripture such as Daniel 11 verse 32 which says that those who know their God shall do exploits. Therefore, he said those who knew the God he worshipped should not be riled by miracles because God had the power to do them all.

Prophet Makandiwa said those pastors who were against the gospel of prosperity were attacking a biblical principle which encouraged the preaching of Jesus coming in the flesh to address fleshly needs.

He said it was important that people here on earth experienced prosperous lives that included owning houses, cars, running successful businesses and living lives free of diseases and curses, among other aspects of prosperity.

“I am preaching Jesus in the flesh. Why do you think we are after money? I don’t care about the money. . . what we have is greater than money. If I can send someone to dig up a precious stone (after telling him where it’s located and even its size) then people say I am after money? . . . it’s amazing. Why do I tell someone to go and get the stone? If I want the money so much why cant I just take the precious stone and make it mine,” he quipped.

Prophet Makandiwa also said he was deeply concerned by the lack of seriousness and the absence of the fear of God in most churches worldwide.Some pastors were wasting people’s time, he said.

“Chechi dzakawanda pasi pezuva dziri kutamba mahumbwe. Unonamata Mwari akasika denga nenyika asi wotya kupindirwa mumba mako nemuroyi (Most churches worldwide are just child’s play. How can a true pastor or christian be scared of a witch if in him there is God the creator of the heavens and the earth?)

On Sunday he also reiterated that people were going to be picking gold in their houses. Prophet Makandiwa likened this to Solomon of the bible who made gold become as common as stones in Israel.