How God Delivered A Ghanaian Pastor From Untimely Death 

By Franca Uwuigiaren

Pastor Kofi, a Ghanaian pastor, and his wife Akua, were dedicated Christians. They served God and had drawn many from darkness. In the lives of many, God had used Pastor Kofi mightily. His church was a big one, and people came from far and near for prayers, healing, and miracles. 

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Then Pastor Kofi fell ill. Initially, he thought it was malaria and typhoid, and he went to the hospital and did a test, and truly, he was diagnosed with typhoid, and treatment began. The more treatment he received, the more he became worse. He started losing weight, and more tests were conducted, but nothing was wrong with him. 

Akua became worried; she started to pray concerning her husband’s health. The church members were concerned. Like a dream, the family woke up one morning and discovered that Pastor Kofi could no longer talk. Akua and the children cried.

Akua travelled to her husband’s village and informed her husband’s family what was happening. Yaa Asantewaa, the sister-in-law to Akua, listened with rapt attention, then told Akua to return to the city and bring Pastor Kofi home.

“Kofi is a stubborn man. Our father’s gods are dealing with him because he refused to worship them. When you bring him, I will perform some rituals, and the gods will heal him.” 

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“God forbid! My husband is a child of God. He can never bow to any idol. It won’t happen,” Akua told her. 

Yaa Asantewaa laughed loudly and clearly. “Really?” she asked, rolling her eyes and laughing. 

“My husband is a child of God and cannot bow to any idol,” she mimicked Akua. 

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Her brethren who were seated with Akua laughed.

Yaa Asantewaa stood up and left them, then she returned holding a short staff tied around with red and white pieces of clothes. 

“You see this; it’s supposed to be in Kofi’s possession because he has been chosen by the gods to be their mouthpiece. I have been holding this for six years, but my brother has not made up his mind to come home and take the mantle. The chief priest has asked me to return it. Do you know the implication of returning this to the shrine?” she asked. 

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Akua shook her head in the negative, while others laughed sarcastically at her. 

“It means this family rejected the gods of our father, and the person chosen will lose his life along with his first son. I have been sending messages to my brother for years, but he gave me deaf ears. For years, we have been offering sacrifices to pacify the gods, but now the gods are requesting the return of the staff.” 

Akua sighed.

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“If you know what is good, return to the city and bring your husband here within six days. We will appease the gods, and all will be over; then, he can take up the mantle.” 

“I know what you’re thinking, that your husband is a pastor,” Agyeman said, a younger brother of Kofi. 

“It doesn’t matter. Some of the pastors you see are native doctors. No one knows. They cover their practice with the name of Jesus. Your husband can do the same.” Kwame told Akua.

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“I…don’t think we…” Akua began.

“Return and do what we asked you,” Yaa Asantewaa told her. 

Akua thanked her in-laws and travelled back to the city. It was very late when she got home. Her children were not sleeping. Her husband was very hot. She got water and cleaned him up. Her daughter told her he refused eating. Akua cooked something for him that night and forced him to eat a little.

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Having balanced him very well on the bed, she dragged a plastic chair close to the bed and took his hand in hers. She narrated how her journey went to her husband.

“Your people want me to bring you home for some rituals, but one thing I know, Kofi, is that you will not bow to any other god. No one will take you to any strange place. I met you in the service of God, and you will remain in God’s service.” She felt him grip her hand tightly. Akua prayed for him before going to bed.

 In the coming days, his condition became critical, and his family was calling. Surprises began to come up, as some church members started advising Akua to take him to specific places for sacrifices.

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“You see, our pastor might have stepped on strong powers. Maybe the last liberation he went to…” Osei, one of the church deacons, said. 

“Let’s give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar…it doesn’t stop him from continuing his pastorship.” Quaye said.

More people came to sympathize with Akua, and in the process, some gave vivid descriptions of where they went for solutions when they encountered similar problems. Akua could not believe her ears. How could one place one leg in the church and the other in the shrine? God forbid! She remembered one of her husband’s popular verses where Apostle Paul said nothing can separate him from the love of Christ, not even sickness. Kofi used to tell her that whatever God cannot do for him, no man can do.

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“Akua, no man should bow to any other god except God Almighty. I, Kofi, cannot worship any other gods.” He would tell her. 

Akua was to return from evangelism one evening to meet Yaa Asantewaa and two others in her house with a vehicle about to take her husband to the village.

She refused and screamed for help. Neighbours came out and scolded them for trying to take Kofi out of the house in the absence of his wife. 

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“I can’t allow my husband to be taken for any rituals. Romans 6:16 asked, Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Luke 16:13 also says that No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

“My husband will never ever, enter a shrine. His allegiance is to the Lord God almighty. Circumstances will not make him enter into the worship of idols. Never!”

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Yaa Asantewaa was very furious and angry with Akua.

“You’re mad Akua. Pray nothing happens to Kofi and…”

“I, Akua, stand firm in my faith and declare that my husband, Pastor Kofi, will not be swayed by the demands of his family to worship idols or engage in any form of idolatry. We are children of the living God, and our loyalty and devotion belong to Him alone. We will not serve two masters or bow to any god other than the Almighty God. I declare our home and family to be a place of worship and service to the one true God, and I pray for His protection and guidance over us.” 

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“I waited for you to bring him home, but you refused, and we came, and you stopped us? How powerful is this Jesus you talk about all the time? How powerful is your God? Why is my brother down if your God is as powerful as you claimed. Don’t worry, if anything happens to my brother…ah…you will see” she threatened.

They entered the vehicle and drove off. Neighbours assisted Akua in carrying her husband into the bedroom.

After everywhere was calm, Akua went into the bedroom and began to cry. She remembered the Bible verse that says the kingdom of God suffers violence, and the violent takes it by force. Suddenly she was angry. Akua held her husband’s hand, with determination in her eyes.

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“Kofi, you are a child of God, and I won’t let the devil destroy you. We will fight this together, in the name of Jesus!” 

With renewed strength, Akua began to pray fervently, declaring God’s power and protection over her husband. She called some church elders and her family members to support her  with their prayers. 

Every day, she was praying. Her children too were not left out, as they poured their hearts to God regarding their father. Most nights, she would raise more than two hundred prayer points, and it was just the beginning.

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As the days passed, Kofi’s condition remained critical, but Akua’s faith never wavered. She rebuked every suggestion to seek help from strange places, trusting only in God’s divine intervention.

One night, as she knelt by Kofi’s bedside, she felt an unusual presence in the room. Suddenly, a bright light filled the space, and a gentle voice spoke, “Akua, your faith has pleased God. Kofi will be healed, but you must continue to stand firm in your beliefs.”

Akua wept tears of joy, knowing God had heard her prayers. She prostrated on the floor, thanking God for His timely intervention.

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Gradually, Kofi began to recover, his strength returning as the days went by. When he finally rose from bed, the church celebrated, knowing God’s power had triumphed over darkness. Kofi and Akua’s testimony inspired many, and their church grew stronger, a beacon of hope in the face of adversity.

Those who advised Akua to take Kofi to the shrine for help were ashamed.

Yaa Asantewaa and her family, however, never bothered Kofi and Akua again, realizing the power of faith in the Almighty God. 

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The staff, once meant for Kofi, was returned to the shrine, a reminder of the victory won through unwavering trust in God.

Kofi could not thank his wife enough for standing her ground when his family came and wanted to take him to the village for rituals.

Above all, he thanked God Almighty for His mercy and intervention in his life.

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Dear Reader, Akua has made her stand. What’s your own  stand? In the face of challenges and pressure, where do you stand? Who do you run to? Where do you place your feet?

Ponder on the above questions.

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