My last visit to Faith Clinic

I visited the Faith Clinic grounds a few weeks ago and met Bro. Adolphus, one of the faithful ministers who has remained loyal to God and to the ministry. Some will remember the tall, serious-looking minister who was mightily anointed and terribly feared by devils!

He's much older now and still passionate about God. We shared fellowship and updated on a few things. I confessed that the book projected was more or less on hold, but assured that it will gather more pace when I could spend more time seeing and interviewing people in Nigeria.

I noticed a new construction going on just by the entrance of the premises. It is on the same spot where the first make-shift building was raised when Faith Clinic meetings moved from Adamasingba Stadium to the newly acquired plot of land just off the Sango-Eleyele by pass. Oh how I remember that spot!...

My last visit to Faith Clinic in December 1992 before moving to UK was at this very place. There were not as many people in attendance, compared to the UCH or Adamasingba crowds. I was sitting on one of the long, wooden benches close to the back of the shed. In the course of the evening, they began to show us a video teaching by Morris Cerrulo. Sure, this was an unusual programme in Faith Clinic, and I cannot recall if there were other ministrations before or after the video session (I can only assume there was). I cannot remember, either, what Morris Cerrulo taught on the video other than the fact it was one of the ones in which he taught using a green board and chalk.

In spite of the unusual nature of the meeting, something happened to me that I have remembered ever since. A burden came upon me and waves of spiritual emotion swept through my body. I crouched on the bench and prayed from my heart, committing the whole of my life to God and His agenda on the earth. As I continued in this state, I heard the Lord speaking clearly in my spirit words that have never left me. He said, "Son you are going to the UK. I am not sending you to pastor a church; I am not sending you to lead worship; I am not giving you to a single congregation." Although my eyes were full of tears and my body was shaking all over, these words registered in the depth of my spirit, and they continue to speak to me even today...

Anyway, the new construction, Bro. Adolphus said, will serve as the meeting place for the church and the present auditorium will be used by the youth. I can only pray that the Lord will continue to meet with His people there and give some encounters that they will remember for the rest of their lives!

If you once attended Faith Clinic and have a story to tell, please get in touch with me (israel@bookswithamission.org). The work is still in progress!

It's a massive task!

For quite a while, I have not had the opportunity to do much with the assignment to write about the Faith Clinic years. It is simply a massive assignment! There are a lot of people to interview, a lot of miles to travel, and a lot of materials to digest. I have to be in Nigeria for a considerable length of time to make meaningful progress.

If anyone wants to be part of the Research Team for this project, please get in touch with me (israel@bookswithamission.org).

This is God-assigned, worthy task, and it will be completed in due season!

FAITH CLINIC: One legacy out of many!

One of the largest denominations in Nigeria has, for many years, adopted the tag "Faith Clinic" for their weekly prayer and deliverance service. Is this a coincidence or does it have something to do with Bro. Ibe and Faith Clinic Ibadan?

This is how it happened. As God caused the news of His move in Faith Clinic to spread throughout Ibadan and its surroundings, it became obvious that so many people were suffering from demonic oppression and needed deliverance. Without any adverts, the crowds kept coming. What accompanied this influx of people was the need for more labourers. This is exactly how Jesus viewed the harvest field in His day - there were a lot of people that needed ministry but very few labourers to minister to them.

Gradually, God brought faithful labourers to Faith Clinic. He also led the team to start a Training School to equip believers in the Faith and raise more labourers who could competently counsel and pray for people. Towards this same end, a team of teachers began to visit other churches to teach congregations on the subject of deliverance and help raise up teams for the church. Remember, in the early years, Faith Clinic was a "para-church ministry". The ministry sought to bless God's people and His Church.

Everywhere the teachers went, the same miracles and manifestations that were witnessed in Faith Clinic followed them. It was the impact of what God did through the teachings in many of the congregations of this major denomination that led to the adoption of the tag "Faith Clinic" for one of their weekly services. To God be all the glory for this enduring legacy!

Bro. Ibe: An Apostle of Love

Many people may remember Bro. Ibe as someone God used to bring deliverance to the oppressed, however, almost everyone I have interviewed thus far, those who knew him from close range, remember him for his heart of love. He lived a life of love - love for God and love for people.

Bro. Ibe will do anything and go to any length to show God's love to others. And it was genuine love from the heart. He was touched by the problems of others and was moved by compassion to minister to them. The thrill was not in the fact that demons obeyed him in the name of Jesus, but that someone was set free from the devil and shown grace by God. How different from some who are excited by the obedience of demons; worse still who capitalise on people's predicaments and use them to build their ministries. What can we say about those who televise demonic manifestations? Is this an act of love to a needy person or an attempt to validate and show off supposed spiritual power?

Many deliverances in Faith Clinic we dramatic and spectacular, but the focus was on setting the

captives free. This was Bro. Ibe preoccupation, motivated by love. He was a proclaimer of the good news and was passionate about seeing people come into the Kingdom. He loved the sinner and spent himself to introduce them to Christ.

Bro. Ibe also loved his co-workers. He was not domineering or intimidating. He trained, raised and encouraged the ministers, many of who were young believers sold out to God. Many are still serving God faithfully today. They saw in Bro. Ibe an example of love and commitment for God.

If you knew Bro. Ibe, please share your recollections. An entirely new generation need to learn from his exemplary life of love, purpose and sacrifice. Over to you!

We see not our signs!

One of the signs Jesus said will follow those who believe is deliverance - casting out of demons in His name. During the Faith Clinic years, this sign was evident for all to see. It was not hidden, neither was it confined to an individual. Any believer who made him or herself available was used of God as a vessel to bring deliverance into people's lives.

Wherever there were difficult cases of oppression and affliction, Faith Clinic was always the recommended place for a solution. Why, because the "sign" was clear to all and Lord's presence tangible. Upon Mount Zion, the Bible says, there will be deliverance.

Sadly, this "sign" is not as vivid in the Church as it was years past. So many practices that are labelled "deliverance" does not resemble deliverance at all. Many end up more bound than they were before they encountered many of today's "deliverance houses". May the Lord revive His works as in the days of old!

Surely, "we see not our signs" (Psalm 74:9). Without any "sign", some may not find there way to Christ. Without signs, Jesus said, some will not believe (John 4:48). May the Lord restore us and cause His signs to follow us once again.

FAITH CLINIC: Without Faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God!

Every move of God is a move of faith, for the just shall live, walk, run and soar by faith. Hebrews 11:6 was the motto of FAITH CLINIC, which goes to show the total reliance on God and His Word. Faith Clinic ministers had no choice: they had to be people of conviction in the ability and pronouncements of God. As one minister put it, "We prayed ourselves up and relied on God fully, because hundreds of people would turn up on Saturday night expecting God to meet with them."

And God did meet with the people through the dedication of those who chose to believe in Him literally. God is real. He is again looking for those who believe that "He is" and that He is "a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Is it possible that we are not seeing the manifestations of God like the days of old because we believe more in man's methods and systems more than the quick and powerful word of God? Do we believe in and have a spirit-and-truth relationship with the God of the Word? FAITH CLINIC was definitely an atmosphere where faith could easily develop. Everywhere you turn, the power of God was evident. I used to say in those days that one of the fastest ways to develop and grow in faith was to cast out a few devils. What this does is bring the pages of God's word to life. Prayer and faith will cease to be theoretical ideals. If God says it, that settles it. We need a return to this kind of raw faith; one that does not need the propping up of psychological embellishments that originate from man's mind.

God was pleased with Bro. Ibe and the FAITH CLINIC team because they dared to walk in faith. God confirmed the words of these simple disciples with signs, wonders and diverse miracles. Thank you Jesus for this great example of faith.

FAITH CLINIC: Just a "deliverance ministry?"

Those who know the history of revivals are aware that almost every move of God endured attacks from antagonists, especially from others in the Church. It was not any different with FAITH CLINIC. Many people criticised what God did through Bro. Ibe. The main criticism was that FAITH CLINIC focused on demons and deliverance. Thankfully, Bro. Ibe and the FAITH CLINIC team were not swayed by the waves of opposition. They continued to serve God and His people with fervour and conviction, both being marks of revivalists.

It is sad though, that many who attack revivals do so presumptuously. Jesus was persecuted because He was not a conformist. He was even accused of casting out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils, because throughout His earthly ministry, He was delivering people from demonic strongholds. Of course, many deliverances occurred in FAITH CLINIC, because God used Bro. Ibe to restore the emphasis of deliverance in the Body of Christ in Nigeria. Before FAITH CLINIC, many in the Church did not have any experiential understanding of their authority over the demonic.

I attended FAITH CLINIC many times and I can testify that God did more than deliver people from devils. There were many who got saved, healed and filled with the Holy Spirit. Every meeting featured a salvation message, healing message and a session on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. There was also a Bible School that equipped believers in the word. It was a well-rounded move of God. Only eternity will tell all that God did through FAITH CLINIC. To God be the glory!