The ancient town of Nazareth for two days, Sunday, June 23 and Monday, June 24, was agog as people from more than 50 countries of the world stormed the birthplace of Jesus Christ for a Christian religious programme tagged Nazareth Meeting with popular Nigeria pastor, Prophet T Joshua.
The event was held on the historical Mount Precipice, at the newly constructed amphitheatre at the entrance to the city of Nazareth.
Thousands of worshippers flocked to the historical mountain where, according to the Bible, history, Jesus Christ was rejected by his people.
On all the days of the event, although the programme was billed to start at 4 pm and end 8 pm, as early as 11 am, many were already at the entrance of amphitheatre waiting for the gate to open.
The Mount Precipice amphitheatre, built and donated to the city by Prophet TB Joshua and his EmmanuelTV partners, has a capacity of 40,000 thousand. It was filled with thousands sitting on the plastic chairs provided at the overflow.
Prophet TB Joshua’s message was titled: We are known by Our Love. He urged the congregation to love one another irrespective of religion or race and that love comes from God. His words: “God measures our love for Him and for our neigbour.
Anyone who does not love his fellow man, cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is His command: whoever loves God must also love his fellow man.
“How do you assess love? By the practical things in our lives. We assess our love for God by the number of times we lovingly think of Him daily, by the degree of hunger we have to read His word. The more we love Him, the more precious His word will become to us.”
The climax of each day’s programme was the prayer line where thousands of people from different continents with different ailments and diseases were prayed upon. They were prayed by Prophet T B Joshua and they got their healings.
The programme was very well organized with tight security and excellent crowd management. Many natives of Nazareth were among the crowd. The natives, who have used thousands of tourists trooping to their town to see the birthplace of Jesus were confessing seeing the manifestation of the power in the name of Jesus Christ for the first time.
One of the natives at the event, Roger Wakim, a Christian Arab and a member of the Mother Church of the Holy Spirit in Nazareth Illit, summed up the experience: “This is the experience when Jesus was on earth in Israel. He was sent to start ministering at the age of 30. For three and half years he was casting out demons and healing the sick. Deliverance and healing go side by side. Whenever there is deliverance, there will be healing”.
One of those who confessed to receiving their healing was Pastor Gregory Englert, an India based missionary. He said: “I was hit by a car. From then on, I started to have a headache; my neck would go out of place and my back would go out of place, things like that.
I started treating the ailment, but the treatments only give me temporary relief. It would periodically come back. It will leave and then come back. So, that was the problem. I also had some breathing problem, allergies and so on. It was glorious to come here”.
Asked why he decided to travel to Israel, he said: “I have read. I have read testimonies; I have equally seen people that go to Prophet T Joshua crusades. They get the results that they’ve been looking for, or they will get the answers and reasons for certain things in their lives and the solution. Whatever the problem, it will come to a grinding halt. So, I wanted to come here.
I have been to many prayer lines and conferences without getting the solution, but if there was any chance, I would have gone to Lagos, Nigeria because thousands go weekly in and out. It was had to get a letter of invitation.
So, this opportunity came. Just a week ago, I was there in the United Kingdom and I told God I would love to attend this event; only if it is your will. I know you will make the way. I’ve had my total healing”.
The Mayor of Nazareth, Ali Salam said the visit and programme of Prophet T B Joshua support the city economically. His words: “This visit supports the city economically and some defeated politicians in the recent electoral battle, who are trying in vain for relevance, are now working to impede my work on peace. In order to support their weak position, they claim I received and praise those who claim prophecy.
“If you want to fight for peace, fight with funds, not lies and fabrication. The people of the city will not fall into the trap you are trying to build. They love the mayor who works day and night to raise the city economically, culturally, ethnically, and educationally”.
Throughout the two-day meeting on Mount Precipice, there was no protest, no security breach and no accident.