By Gbenga Osinaike
Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has attributed the survival of world-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua in a recent car crash along Lagos Ibadan express road to the “uncommon mercy of God.”
The RCCG General Overseer made these remarks during a sermon monitored by Church Times on Sunday, January 4, at the church’s national headquarters in Oyingbo, Lagos.
The Joshua survival
Reflecting on news reports of the recent accident involving the boxing star, a crash that tragically claimed the lives of two of his friends, Pastor Adeboye said what stood out for him was the swapping of seat by the boxer before the accident.
”I read in the newspapers how Joshua swapped his sitting position while traveling in the vehicle that crashed,” Adeboye told the congregation. “I wonder what could have made him change his seat if not God’s mercy?”
The cleric used the boxer’s story as a springboard to reflect on his own life, insisting that human intelligence is no match for divine protection. “I am alive because of the mercy of the Lord. It is not my cleverness, but the mercies of the Lord,” he said.
He recalled a past journey to Japan where he traveled despite a prophecy that his plane would crash. “By God’s grace, I will see next year,” he declared. “I can’t die until God says it is time. He is the one who controls time; He is the one who controls my tomorrow.”
From Critic to Convert
In a candid moment of reflection, Pastor Adeboye revisited his days as a lecturer at the University of Lagos, admitting he was once a staunch critic of the faith.
”I used to be one of those who made fun of Christians and Christ,” he recalled. He narrated how he first encountered the RCCG by chance while accompanying a friend to collect soil samples for research near the Lagos coast.
Describing his first impression of the church, he said: “I saw the signboard and the ramshackle building. I referred to the church then as the ‘little dog with the big name.’ I wondered what was wrong with the people there, but I noticed they had peace.”
Years later, when faced with personal challenges, he invited to the same church he once despised. “It is by the mercy of God that I am saved. Until today, I cannot understand how it happened other than mercy.”
The Sovereignty of God
Adeboye addressed the attitude of believers toward giving, emphasizing that God does not “need” human resources to function.
”Who is compelling you to give? If you bring something to Him and He accepts it, it is an act of mercy,” he said.
He shared a sobering story of a time God instructed the church to reject a brand-new microphone donated by a member.
”The man began to weep. When God receives your gift, it is an act of mercy. We are talking about a God who got money from the mouth of a fish. I am not aware that fish eat metal! Without you, God can do His work.”