THE NATIONAL PRAYER ALTAR
MARATHON PRAYERS
Monday 27th January - Sunday 2nd February. 2025
THE GRASSHOPPER SYNDROME
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight (Num. 13:33).
When anyone elevates their problems and challenges above the power of the Almighty God, they display a mentality that is best described as “the grasshopper syndrome”. The giants, the descendants of Anak, did not call the Israelite spies “grasshoppers”. It was the Israelites that described themselves as “grasshoppers”. In doing so, they not only belittled themselves, they belittled the Almighty God and created the impression that the giants were stronger than God. To worsen matters, the entire nation agreed with them, and they kept a vigil of tears, each man standing at the door of his tent. Only Joshua and Caleb remained resolute. Strangely, those were the same ones who had witnessed God’s judgments upon the idols of Egypt. They experienced the deliverance of Passover when the firstborn sons of the Egyptians died but none died amongst the Israelites. The parting of the Red Sea was an amazing miracle which was confirmed by Jonathan Gray, an archaeologist, and Ron Wyatt.
At the Gulf of Aqaba where the children of Israel crossed, the Red Sea was 5,000 feet deep, but God had elevated a section of the seabed by 4,000 feet and created a smooth walkway that was 2,952 feet wide stretching 8 miles (13km) to the land of Midian in Arabia, on the other side. Entering the sea at that spot was a gentle 6 degrees which provided carts and humans a comfortable slope to enter the walkway. The children of Israel walked through 1,000 feet of a wall of water on either side of them for 13 kilometers. The water did not crash down on them because, as Ex. 15:8 says, “And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.” God congealed the sea!
The children of Israel watched as the congealed water walls came crashing down on the Egyptian army, killing them all. They saw God bring water out of a dry rock, and He rained bread from heaven every day. After living in the miraculous for two straight years, they got to the border of the Promised Land and concluded that they were “grasshoppers”. God was so furious that He sent them back into the wilderness for another thirty-eight years until all the generation of ‘grasshoppers’ died. Only then could their descendants enter the Promised Land. Christians who exhibit the “grasshopper syndrome” remain in the wilderness.
As we approach the 2027 elections, Nigeria Christians must beware of the “grasshopper syndrome”. Some common apprehensions in the country include the notion that the politicians have amassed excessive wealth to compromise the elections. President Tinubu is reported to have said that only death could stop him from getting a second term. The Fulanis, being Master of Politics, are strategizing for 2027. If someone should consider these apprehensions, one might be tempted to conclude that in 2027, elections would be business as usual. However, what does God say?
In 2023, God spoke through one of our brothers that forty years after the prophecy of Pastor Elton, Nigeria would experience righteousness and glory, after a phase of corruption in which the country would stink globally. Pastor Elton gave the prophecy in 1986, and forty years after that would be 2026 when Nigeria should transit to the phase of righteousness.
In 2024, God also said that fifty years after FESTAC ’77, Nigeria would receive forgiveness for the sin of idolatry, then the nation would enter righteousness. Fifty years after FESTAC is 2027, which is the year of the next election. Therefore, 2026 and 2027 are critical years in the prophetic calendar of God for the country.
Now that Nigeria is at the border of its Promised Land, will Christians express a “grasshopper syndrome,” or proclaim, like Joshua, “we are able to take the land”? God has endowed the Christian community with enormous potentials to deliver righteous leadership for Nigeria. Let us consider the number of voters in the Church.
In the 2023 elections, President Tinubu was declared winner by the Supreme Court based on eight million votes. The Catholic Church has an estimated membership of 21 million while the Anglican Church has an estimated 18 million members in Nigeria. These two denominations alone have an estimated 39 million members. Bearing in mind that voters are registered from 18 years, these two denominations could easily have produced twenty million voters to counter the eight million votes that brought Tinubu into power. We have referred to only two denominations. There are many more in their category. What stopped Nigerian Churches from uniting to produce righteous leadership for Nigeria?
It would amount to criminal negligence if the Christian community in Nigeria does not unite to provide righteous leadership for Nigeria by 2027 in fulfillment of the prophetic calendar of heaven. In two separate prophecies, both pointing to the same period, God has declared that it is time for Nigeria to transit from the wilderness into the Promised Land. Will the Christians act like ‘grasshoppers’?
The past ten years of APC in power have been disastrous for Nigeria. From 2015 when APC made its debut into political power, it has inflicted sorrow and blood upon the citizenry. Today, according to the Cable Index, there is a total of 133 million poor people in Nigeria. This is made up of 45.5m in Northwest, 20.5m in North-East, 20.2m in North-Central, 16.3m in South-West, 19.7m in South-South, and 10.9m in the South-East. Under Buhari, Nigeria became the poverty capital of the world.
With regards to security, a major newspaper in the country cited the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) as reporting in December 2024 that 614,937 Nigerians were killed between May 2023 and April 2024. This is horrific, if true. That figure exceeds those killed in the Russia-Ukraine war, estimated at 67,000 people. The Bureau of Statistics is also cited to have reported that 2.2 million Nigerians were kidnapped/abducted within the same period while N2.2 trillion was paid as ransom. The number of Nigerians kidnapped under APC government from May 2023 to April 2024 is more than the population of 15 different countries in the world.
In the eight years of Muhammadu Buhari, as APC presidential candidate, 63,111 Nigerians were killed, according to Nigeria Security Tracker (NST). When Tinubu took over in 2023, the number of Nigerians killed in one year reportedly rose to 614,937. Yet, the APC wants to return to power in 2027.
Going by these disturbing figures, one can conclude that Section 14(2)b of the 1999 Constitution as amended which says, “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government” is of no paramount importance to the APC-led government. Shockingly, the response of the Tinubu administration to poverty is a handout of N75,000 to ten million poor people. If ten million out of 133 million poor people receive the handout, what will happen to the remaining 123 million poor people? Besides, what would Nigerians do with N75,000, which cannot buy a bag of rice or fill the tank of an average vehicle twice?
We have outlined the figures above to underscore the imperative of Christian political unity to align the Church with the prophetic calendar of God. The situation facing the country is serious and desperate. Every effort should be made to ensure that Nigeria enters in through the door of deliverance that heaven has opened for the land.
The greatest threat to Christian political unity is the rivalry of some Christian denominations and the promotion of personal interest by some of the Church leaders. It is imperative, in the overall interest of all Nigerians, that all differences be set aside and the Christian body function as one, to usher in a righteous government in 2027. We reiterate that it shall amount to criminal negligence on the part of the Nigeria Church if it cannot unite to produce, promote, and vote into office, righteous and God-fearing rulers for Nigeria. The oft-repeated tendency of some Church leaders to endorse corrupt and incompetent candidates must not happen again.
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the umbrella body established to forge unity amongst the various Christian denominations must ensure that all the denominations speak with one voice to adopt credible candidates into the various political offices, while Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) should be supported to fulfill its role as the socio-political arm of the Church. All the various groups in the country working towards the emergence of the New Nigeria must be prepared to work together in the spirit of Christ, to birth a country that will truly flow with milk and honey.
Nigeria cannot continue to operate as if the Body of Christ does not exist in this country. The light of the Church must shine and overcome the darkness that is covering the land. It is time for the manifestation of the sons of God. The New Nigeria must come forth.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Zech. 1:12-17
Thank God for bringing to an end the indignation of heaven against idolatry in Nigeria.
2. 1 Cor. 1:10
Pray for Nigeria Christians to unite and work in harmony to birth a new Nigeria.
3. Eph. 6:10-13
Take authority over every spirit of division and strife working through ethnic or denominational rivalry. Bind those foul spirits from causing disunity in the Church and cast them out.
4. Matt. 12:29
Take authority over the satanic strongman and all forces of darkness working against righteousness and godliness in Nigeria.
5. Rev. 12:11
Plead the blood of Jesus to neutralize and overcome all rituals, sorcery, and blood sacrifices by evil politicians in the land.
6. Ps. 34:21
Execute judgment on all priests and priestesses servicing satanic altars in the country. Decree that the evil of their doings shall consume them.
7. Num. 17:6-9
Pray for a mark of divine approval on all the people God has approved to hold political offices in the country Amen
