David Oyedepo, the presiding bishop of Living Faith Worldwide, has declared that anyone against the rise of the church will die.
The cleric’s latest declaration comes at about the same time when he kicked against the revised lockdown directives which prevent churches from operating while markets remain open.
In a recent live broadcast believed to be from the church’s headquarters in Otta, Ogun state, Oyedepo stated that the “doors to churches are again opened” across nations.
The clergyman said shutting down churches could breed “spiritual famine”, which he claimed has more devastating effect on people than hunger and the coronavirus pandemic combined.
“The doors to churches across nations are again declared opened this morning. Can I tell you this? Hunger is far more devastating than any virus that will ever visit the earth,” he said.
“It kills silently. There is no vaccine for hunger. There is no medical solution to hunger. Hunger has no treatment than to have food and spiritual famine is far more devastating.”
According to him, the devil’s plan was to have “spiritual famine” in the world by having churches closed.
The 65-year-old cleric, however, said the church is already waxing stronger, adding that anyone who opposes it would die.
“That is what the devil is looking for but he has failed. The church is back on its feet. Anyone who hates to see that dies for it,” he added.
“The church of Christ on the earth is liberated. Spiritual famine shall not have its way. Can I tell the world, no one has the answer to a problem like Jesus.”
Oyedepo’s declaration also comes after Chris Oyakhilome, founder of LoveWorld Incorporated, had scolded pastors for shutting down their churches in compliance with the federal government’s ban on religious gatherings.
The federal government had placed a ban on religious and social gatherings as part of measures to stop the spread of the COVID-19