The NATIONAL PRAYER ALTAR
MARATHON PRAYERS
Monday 11th – Sunday 17th May 2026
GO TO SHILOH
But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel (Jer. 7:12).
In the Marathon Prayer Call of 5th – 11th January 2026, entitled "Joy Cometh," it was pointed out that Nigeria was standing at the threshold of breakthrough into an era of righteousness. That was not a false assumption. That prayer call referenced the prophecy of Pastor S. G. Elton in 1986, that Nigeria would go through a phase of corruption in which the country would stink all over the world, and later, it would transit into an era of righteousness. A latter prophecy revealed that the era of corruption would last forty years. By April 2026, Nigeria entered the fortieth year of Pastor Elton’s prophecy. Hence, the optimism that “joy cometh”.
However, that prayer call cautioned that even though God has promised a restoration, the will of humans has a role to play in the outcome of a prophecy. That the prophecy would come to pass is not in doubt, however, the timing of the fulfilment can be delayed if humans do not cooperate with God. To buttress this apprehension, that prayer call highlighted contrasting positive and negative prophecies hanging over Nigeria. Both categories of prophecies are from God. This was explained from Deut. 30:19: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live”. The Nigeria Church is at a critical point in which the right decision must be taken by Christians. This is not the time to exhibit the usual pretence and indifferent attitude associated with many Christians, particularly those in leadership and influential positions in the Church.
In the past few days, God has been sending messages from within and outside Nigeria, that the controversy between He and the Nigeria Church has not been resolved. God is not satisfied with the condition of the Church, and He has repeatedly called for genuine repentance, which the leadership of the Church has glossed over. If God is not satisfied with the condition of His Church, Christians will not be satisfied with the condition of their country. The satisfaction of God must come first.
There have been credible attempts to present repentance before God. Most of these efforts were undertaken by the laity. The clergy, particularly those in denominational and apex leadership positions, have not demonstrated sufficient concern about the need for repentance in the Church. The efforts of the laity have focused on “prayers of repentance,” while God is demanding “evidence,” or “fruit of repentance” (Matt. 3:8). All the iniquities and transgressions that offend heaven have continued unabated within the Church. Consequently, while some people are lamenting over the evils going on within the Body of Christ, those who were committing the sins have continued, unconcerned. The situation might have been better if it were members of the Church doing so.
When God appoints leaders for His people, He places upon them a stamp of divine recognition that equates their action as that of the people they lead. The office of the leader invariably becomes the place of God’s Presence.
Once, in Israel, the Presence of God was at Shiloh. At another time, it was in the house of Obed-Edom, for three months, before the temple was constructed. Christians need to identify where the Presence of God is placed in Nigeria, and guard that office jealously, not merely in the sense of supporting Christian leadership but more importantly to ensure that unqualified and unethical individuals do not access that spiritual office. In a visitation of God on 22nd May 2018, He made it clear that the apex body of Christianity in Nigeria is the office of the “Gate Keeper”.
At a point, Shiloh was the office of the Gate Keeper over Israel. Unfortunately, two rascals, Hophni and Phinehas, showed up as the sons of the High Priest. They defiled the sanctuary and their father, Eli, did not restrain them. When God descended to judge, He did not deal only with Hophni and Phinehas. Over thirty thousand Israelite soldiers died in battle. Many villagers were routed from their land and chased from their homes. The entire land went into bondage because of the transgressions of two reckless men who profaned the holy things of God. Those soldiers who were killed in battle did not join Hophni and Phinehas to pollute the sacrifices offered to God, neither were they participants in their acts of immorality with the women serving at the sanctuary. However, because Hophni and Phinehas operated from the office of the “Gate Keeper”, the entire land paid for their transgressions. Another example was when David conducted a census, and seventy thousand people were killed in the judgment of God.
In another visitation of God on 12th April 2021, God instructed that a letter should be written to twelve Church leaders in Nigeria, warning that the problem of Nigeria was neither the terrorists nor Islamists, but the “leadership crisis” within the Church. God was not satisfied with the leadership of the Church. Of course, none of them responded. On 26th August 2021, God approached a group of influential Christian elders in Lagos and instructed them to write to all the Church leaders in Nigeria, still warning that He was displeased with them over their handling of the crisis in the country. Again, none of the them responded. So, the controversy between God and the Church has not been resolved.
In the past few days, worrisome messages have been reported from God, that unless the Nigeria Church offers to God the “fruit” or “evidence” of genuine repentance, the affliction, symbolized by APC, might continue. In a particular message, it was stated that the current leader, whose tenure has brought untold hardship upon the populace, might be permitted by God to continue in 2027. Even though Nigeria is standing at the threshold of a breakthrough into restoration, the healing of the land might be deferred if the Church does not put its house in order. God is demanding evidence of repentance from the Church.
Last week, at an interdenominational prayer meeting, the brethren sought to identify the specific details that might constitute the controversy between God and the Nigeria Church. Many of the participants made contributions that were later aggregated into five categories, as follows:
1. Idolatry: syncretism, hero-worship, worship of mammon, occultism, worldliness – 39.3%
2. Hypocrisy – 17.9%
3. Rebellion – 15.2%
4. Immorality – 14.3%
5. Lovelessness – 13.3%
The respondents were Nigeria Christians, from the five Church blocs. That result is a damning verdict that would seem to justify God’s displeasure with the condition of His Church. Despite its claim of being spiritual, the Nigeria Church is an idolatrous Church. Time and space would not permit an elaboration on that, but a brief analysis of the components that constitute idolatry can be attempted, as follows.
Syncretism: This is the combination of tradition and Christianity. In some assemblies, the line between a native-doctor and a pastor is very thin. Rather than teach faith in Christ, the fear of “enemy” is used to manipulate and dominate congregants.
Hero-worship: Instead of a Christ-centred Church, the senior pastor has become the object of worship. The exclusive title of God as Father has been transferred to the pastors in gross violation of Matt. 23:9. Pastors have become “daddies”. God is no longer the only Father in His family. Consequently, no one challenges, corrects, or counsels the senior pastor.
Mammon: The worship of mammon is prevalent. The name of Christ is treated as a “brand,” and churches have become franchise holders. Greed and covetousness have filled the Church, accompanied by all manners of evils. No longer satisfied with tithes and offerings, many church leaders now share stolen money with corrupt politicians. Mammon has become the master (Matt. 6:24).
Occultism: In the bid to gather large congregations, which would translate into more offerings, many church leaders traffick with the powers of darkness. It is getting increasingly difficult to differentiate between a church powered by the Holy Spirit and those using Satan’s power.
Worldliness: The race in church, by leaders and the followers, is, who becomes more relevant in the world. Almost everything is done to impress the world. Rarely does one find Christians who are satisfied with the crucified life. In many assemblies, the cross is no longer mentioned.
This is the state of the Nigeria Church, as assessed by Nigeria Christians. Idolatry is one of the reasons the controversy between God and the Church has not been resolved. ”What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” (Rom. 6:1).
Nigeria Christians should go to Shiloh and see what God did to it because of the wickedness of His people. The Israelites thought that with the Ark of the Covenant in Shiloh, they could do whatever they pleased, and it would be well with them. God burst their bubble when He permitted the Ark itself to be captured by the Philistines. Nigeria Christians should not look at their cathedrals and repeat the mistake of the Israelites who boated to Jeremiah, ”The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these” (Jer. 7:4). They might be shocked on the day of God’s visitation. Obedience is the only friend of God.
The Nigeria Church requires counsellors, influential and God-fearing men, who can stand in this season and talk to the Church leaders. God is demanding credible repentance. Without it, the disaster in the land may get worse. God is not satisfied with the condition of His Church in Nigeria. Unless God is satisfied, the people will not find satisfaction in the state of their country. ”Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built. Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?” (Hag. 1:2-4). God must be satisfied before the land can find rest.
God bless Nigeria.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Ps. 65:5
Pray that God will do terrible things in righteousness, so that His fear shall return to the Nigeria Church.
2. Acts 15:6-9
Pray that God will raise influential counsellors for the Church, who will provide direction and restore the Church to righteousness.
3. Eph. 5:11-13
Pray that the light of God shall expose and destroy every work of darkness in the Nigeria Church.
4. Rom. 3:23-25
Plead with God that the blood of Jesus shall avail as acceptable propitiation to resolve every controversy between God and His people in Nigeria.
5. Joel 2:16-17
Intercede for the Church, that God would spare His people for the sake of His great mercy.
6. Nah. 1:9-10
Pray that whatever constitutes the present affliction on the land and the people shall never return for a second term. May heaven gather them like dry stubble and set them on fire.
7. Ps. 85:4-7
Pray for revival upon the Nigeria Church. Amen
