By Apostle Edward Ssewanyana

In the unprecedented last days that we are in, many signs of the return of Christ have become manifest such as pestilences, famines, wars and rumors of wars. One of the primary signs I will focus upon is the sign of pestilences in divers places (Mat 24:7) and the one that is most infamous at the moment which is the Corona Virus also known as COVID-19. Ever since the Corona Virus pestilence struck this earth, having originated in the infernal satanic pits or gates of hell, human authorities all over the world have come out to shut down born again Church operations. The government authorities have done this ostensibly in the “public good” to stop the virus spread. In the midst of such draconian measures, many Pastors, Prophets and Apostles have cooperated willingly and sometimes unwillingly by shutting down their churches.

However, as Worldwide Apostolic Church we are not budging because we know whom we have believed and will continue with Church services regardless of any decrees, restrictions, social distancing guidelines, or laws that attempt to shut us down. I spoke out on the platform on National Television that God has given us and announced that we are not stopping our services and have reiterated this message on all our ministry platforms. I have severally got a backlash from many so called “well meaning” Christians and Church leaders. They insist that I ought to obey the human authorities and have quoted scriptures such as Romans 13:1-5 and 1 Peter 2:13-17. However when you critically examine these scriptures they clearly spell out the roles and responsibilities of the higher powers or human rulers. Their authority is limited to punishing criminals and praising those who obey God’s word; “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same” (Romans 13:3). When politicians criminalize obedience to the Biblical commandments then they have stepped beyond their God given mandate. The Bible frequently admonishes us to obey authorities by children obeying their parents or citizens obeying their political leaders but it always adds a disclaimer that; “Children, obey your parents IN THE LORD: for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1). This means that children obeying or submitting to parents is not an absolute but should only be “in the Lord” or when the parent’s instructions are in line with Biblical commands. There is an exception to the rule when the text is examined critically.

Jesus never said that obedience to his will shall have no consequences. Jesus clearly said that there is a cross to carry and a price to pay for obedience to the Bible, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:38-39). However, regardless of the consequences of losing our life for Christ we still need to press on and make a choice to obey God rather than men when push comes to shove in situations where the devil begins to use these human authorities for his nefarious and spiritually destructive purposes. It is Biblically obvious that a born again Christian has power over the Corona Virus but in this publication I will not majorly focus on the Biblical reasons why a believer has dominion over the Corona Virus since these can be accessed in the article titled “10 Reasons why a Born Again Christian has dominion over the Corona virus.”

We are going to examines 10 situations where human authorities are meant to be disobeyed.

1. When you are commanded not to preach or teach the gospel of Jesus Christ

Acts 5:27-29
(27)  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
(28)  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
(29)  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Apostle Peter and the rest of the Apostles appeared before the High Priest and the Sanhedrin or council of 70 Jewish elders that was the political authority in Jerusalem at the time. They were commanded not to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. Apostle Peter never packed up his Bible with his tail between his legs and ran to stay home and stay safe from the pulverizing strokes of the whips from the temple guards. Rather the Apostles boldly declared that they would “obey God rather than men.” The commission to preach the gospel house to house and in the public arena was given by Jesus Christ in Mark 16:15 and the Apostles realized that the government directives were contrary to the directives of Jesus Christ. Likewise in the present day I would rather obey God’s instruction to feed the sheep in the church services and preach the gospel instead of running to lock myself up at home out of fear of a virus that Jesus Christ has already conquered (1Peter 2:24).

My own conversion to Christ took place because one man of God called Apostle Peter Lukaaga refused to bow down to the command by the headmaster of St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK) never to preach or even to step in his school. The good Apostle chose to forcefully access the school undercover and chose to preach the gospel in this predominantly Roman Catholic School. My own salvation story and that of many of my Old Boys is a testament to the good that can come out of obeying God rather than men.

2. When you are commanded not to fellowship or gather as a church

Hebrews 10:25
(25)  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

The exhortation to fellowship regularly as believers is not a recommendation or option, rather it is a strict command. The early church took this command very seriously and had church services twice a day with the afternoon service in the temple and evening fellowship in homes of believers (Acts 2:46). The scriptures clearly recommend daily fellowship as an antidote for the believer’s heart to be hardened by sin (Heb 3:13). If anyone restricts the physical congregation of the church for whatever reason then they have automatically become an enemy of God. That is why as Worldwide Apostolic Church we would rather choose to displease man than displease God by continuing our church services regardless of the consequences. Many born again churches have continued to thrive in nations such as China regardless of the government’s restrictions on their assembling. These churches meet underground and are ready to pay the price for serving God. Satan greatly benefits when churches are shut down because the power of corporate prayer to drive out his pestilences and demonic attacks is neutralized.

When I was at SMACK, we used to have weekly fellowship in hiding behind the school library in a grass field nicknamed California. I gave my life to Jesus Christ at the end of my Senior 5 class in high school. My entire spiritual growth in the first year of my spiritual life was influenced by this particular hidden fellowship at SMACK. We never had the luxury of chairs but used to stand all the way from the start of the fellowship at 10pm on Friday night till midnight. Regardless of the discomfort I had to endure, this fellowship in pitch darkness and in hiding was the highlight of my week. Many times Apostle Peter Lukaaga used to come and share the gospel in this fellowship since he had rented a house near the school. The command by the school administration for Born Again Christians not to fellowship did not stop us from doing so and had an immeasurable spiritual impact on my life and the lives of many other believers in the school.

3. When you are commanded to worship idols or any demonic belief system

Daniel 3:14
(14)  Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

I would encourage you to read through the entire chapter of Daniel 3 to get the context of the persecution of Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego. In this chapter we see King Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian despot setting up a huge golden image that everyone was meant to worship. After setting up the image he assembled all the citizens in the plain of Dura and commanded them to bow down and worship the idol at the sound of the musical instruments. However the three young Jewish men refused to bow to the image because idolatry was strictly forbidden in the laws of Moses and is the first commandment among the 10 commandments in Exodus 20. Nebuchadnezzar had introduced a state religion but the three Hebrew boys informed the King that he had another thing coming.

Daniel 3:18
(18)  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

The three Hebrew youth unequivocally refused to bow down to the idol regardless of the consequences. In this situation the consequences were not a mere 2 week prison sentence or fine of 150,000/= but to be cast alive into a burning fiery furnace. The king was so infuriated by their refusal to submit to the state directives that he commanded his strongest SWAT security officers to cast the 3 men into the burning furnace immediately. The furnace was even heated 7 times hotter to match the emperor’s rage. Lo and behold, the first victims of the furnace were the body building henchmen who were most zealous to fulfill the state “Covid-19” religion “curfew directives”. The strongmen were burnt by the heat of the furnace and died instantly but the three Hebrew men fell unharmed and began to walk about unharmed in the midst of the furnace (Dan 3:23-25). Nebuchadnezzar was shocked to see 4 men loosed and walking in the midst of the fire. Jesus manifested as the fourth man in the fire in His pre-incarnation appearance and was even recognized by Nebuchadnezzar as the Son of God. Likewise we should not submit to any bogus commands to bow down to the corona virus idol and hide under our beds yet the world and the whole creation is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God (Rom 8:19).

4. When you are commanded to renounce Jesus Christ

Matthew 10:32-33
(32)  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
(33)  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

In the days of the Roman Empire many of the Roman Emperors such as Nero wanted to be worshipped as gods. Christianity proved to be a thorn in the side of their ambitions since the Christians worshipped only Jesus Christ. The emperors came up with a public ceremony that every Roman citizen or subject had to publicly renounce Jesus Christ and offer a pinch of incense to the statue of the emperor. The early Christians clearly knew that denying Christ before men meant that Jesus Christ would deny them before God the Father in heaven. The majority of the born again Christians refused to renounce Christ and were thrown to the lions, wild animals and gladiators in the circuses and arenas of the Roman Empire.

I remember a situation during by Senior 6 class in High School where my father gave me a very tough choice to make. When he realized that I was no longer following along in the Roman Catholic religion but had instead become a born again Christian he resorted to strong arm tactics to make me renounce Jesus Christ. My father told me during the second term holiday of Senior 6 that I would either renounce Jesus Christ and he continues paying for my school fees or I continue with salvation but then he would not pay my school fees. After receiving counsel from a Pastor I chose to stick to my guns by remaining a born again Christian and I told my father that I would not renounce Jesus Christ. I was fully expecting my final third term school fees not to be paid. However when I went back to school I never heard my name being called out among the fees defaulters. I had passed the persecution test and finally my school fees were paid for by the same person who had threatened to make me a school drop out because of my salvation.

5. When you are commanded not to engage in private prayer

Daniel 6:7, 10, 13
(7)  All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
(10)  Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
(13)  Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

Daniel was a veteran politician in the Persian empire, having been assimilated into the previous Babylonian empire as a Jewish captive. Daniel was a strict observer of the Jewish religion and the laws of Moses regardless of being in a foreign land. When the enemy politicians were stirred by envy to destroy Daniel, they could not find any other means to do so apart from making him clash with the King in regards to his faith. The enemy politicians tricked the King into signing an irrevocable law to forbid any worship apart from worship or prayers offered to the King. I see a very close resemblance to the situation we are facing at the moment where for someone to pass the numerous security road block checkpoints countrywide in their vehicles they have to present a letter from the President’s appointee in the district. Daniel did not succumb to this invasion of his private prayers and devotions but continued praying 3 times a day as usual knowing full well that the consequence was that he would be cast into the den of lions. You will also notice a similarity in the source of all the radical demonically inspired decrees that forbid church services which are sneaked onto the Emperor’s or president’s plate by so called “well-meaning” international counselors at face value but who have wicked antichrist agendas behind the scenes of destroying the ministry of Jesus Christ and his ambassadors.

King Darius realized when it was too late that the ego stroking decree he was tricked into signing was meant to destroy his most trusted official Daniel. The King had Daniel thrown into the den of lions after Daniel broke this kingly decree. Early the next morning King Darius went to the den of lions and found Daniel alive and well and was told by Daniel, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt” (Daniel 6:22). God miraculously delivered Daniel from the lions but when the enemies of Daniel were cast into the same den, the lions ate them up even before they landed at the den’s bottom.

6. When you are commanded to engage in murder of children or abortion

Hebrews 11:23
(23)  By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

Moses’ parents encountered a situation where the state directives were that every male Jewish baby was meant to be killed upon birth. Those in the Christian community today who advocate for blind obedience to the government would have got the closest knife at home and slit the baby’s throat. The parents of baby Moses were not afraid of the King’s commandment and chose to preserve his life since they knew that murder was a sin regardless of who commands it. If Moses’ parents had blindly obeyed Pharaoh’s draconian command, we would not have been blessed by their son’s ministry as a Prophet and deliverer of the Isrealites from Egypt. Just like Moses’ parents, health workers who work in government hospitals that permit abortion should not participate in murder simply because the President has legalized abortion. Know that God will hold you guilty of murder of a human being even though you may try to assuage your conscience that you were merely enacting a “pro choice” law passed down by the legislature or executive arm of government. Think twice and choose to preserve life rather than being numbered with the transgressors.

7. When you are commanded to engage in immoral practices

Genesis 39:7-9
(7)  And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
(8)  But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
(9)  There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Joseph was a son of Jacob and was hated by his brothers for having revealed his various dreams of dominion over them. Out of envy, Joseph’s brothers sold him to a group of Arab slave traders who subsequently sold him to a new master called Potiphar in Egypt. Joseph was now a slave in Egypt and thus legally, Potiphar and his wife were in authority over him. Joseph was caught up in a tempting situation where Potiphar’s wife, also his boss, asked him to commit adultery with her. Joseph never began reasoning it out in his mind that after all he had to obey the commands of his boss in authority. Instead Joseph rebuked his boss and told her that this would be a sin against God. Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife and even had to serve a prison term when she falsely accused Joseph of trying to rape. Joseph’s choice to obey God rather than human authority led him to become the second most powerful man in the world, because his connection to Pharaoh came about after dream interpretation in the same prison where he was serving the sentence for the false rape allegation.

8. When you are commanded to engage in any sinful activity

Acts 4:19
(19)  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

Peter and John were being threatened with beatings and jail sentences but refused to submit to human authorities when they were told to stop preaching the gospel. There are so many other sinful activities by omission or commission that those in political or market place authority can ask their subordinates to perform such as corruption, lying, theft, harassment and framing the innocent among others. However the steadfast believer ought to make a choice to obey God rather than man in every situation. This decision to obey God may have consequences but you ought to know that Jesus made it clear who has the greater right to be feared and power to punish eternally, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him” (Luke 12:4-5).

9. When you are commanded to take the mark of the beast

Revelation 13:1, 16-17
(1)  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
(16)  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
(17)  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

After the rapture of the church that takes place in Revelation 4:1, a period of seven years called the tribulation period shall take place upon the earth. During this period the man in charge of the one world government will be the antichrist also known as the beast or man of sin. The antichrist will force everyone on earth to worship his image with a penalty of death for the disobedient. The same antichrist will enforce the taking of a mark upon the right hand or forehead which is interpreted by many modern day Bible scholars as an implantable microchip. The Bible makes it clear that receiving the mark of the beast is an unforgivable sin that automatically makes the recipient a candidate for the lake of fire (Rev 14:9-11). When I look around at the many five-fold ministers and Church leaders who have in a cowardly manner run to hide under their beds at the first commandment from the state to cease church services, it makes me think about how willingly the left behind believers will gladly take the mark of the beast. These same Christians will be busy quoting Romans 13 and every other scripture about submission to government authorities as they line up to receive the New World Order mark of the beast, which will ultimately sentence them to an eternity in the lake of fire. Use your head believer to Biblically discern the exceptions to the rules and don’t become a blind follower of the blind.

10. When you are commanded to sit at home to avoid a sickness yet you have power and dominion over all sicknesses

Mark 16:17-18
(17)  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
(18)  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

One of the most important questions to ask yourself as a believer is “What would Jesus do?” I have frequently seen stickers and bracelets with this principle summarized as WWJD. This principle applies even when we look at how Jesus would respond if a deadly plague had broken out during His earthly ministry. Let’s look at the possible scenarios: Would Jesus flee to his home in Nazareth and stay home to stay safe from the plague? Would Jesus exercise social distancing of 4 meters to avoid catching the contagious pandemic? Or Would Jesus ignore social distancing guidelines and boldly step into the danger zone and lay hands on the affected pandemic victims and heal them? Jesus clearly demonstrated that he was not afraid to minister and lay hands on those suffering from the plague of leprosy which was the deadly contagious disease of the Biblical times; “And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed” (Matthew 8:3). Jesus practiced what he preached and preached what he practiced. That is why the final instruction Jesus issued to the Church before his ascension was to preach the gospel and manifest the sign of healing the sick by the laying on of hands (Mark 16:17-18). There is no way you can lay hands upon a leper or Corona Virus patient by staying 4 meters away from them. The healing anointing is transferred by the laying on of hands.

Three weeks ago the government issued a lockdown over the nation of Uganda in response to the Corona Virus pandemic. Three days back, during the same lockdown season, I communicated with a doctor who is currently working first hand upon the COVID-19 patients. I have known this doctor for quite a while and know them to be a born again Christian. I asked this doctor if they could organize for me come and pray for the COVID-19 patients at the hospital. The answer from the doctor was that unfortunately I could not be allowed to pray for the patients.

This doctor never knew that since I know the power Jesus has given me, I have no fear of the virus but I know that I have dominion over the virus and every other sickness or disease by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:2). When this request of mine was denied I realized that there is a spiritual force at work to guard these patients like a “national treasure” and use them for wicked purposes of creating a ripe condition for the manifestation of the New World Order by the secretive devil worshipping minions and powers that be.

This denial to exercise the healing power of God towards the COVID-19 patients proved to me that the command to sit at home and discontinue church services, evangelistic crusades and fellowships has satanic origin. This validated my previous choice to go ahead with Worldwide Apostolic Church and Edifire Ministries services and fellowships since I learnt by experience that this “pandemic lockdown” is meant to weaken the church, cause believers to backslide without access to the preaching of the Word of God to build their faith and block the prayer of agreement that would have been released by the corporate church. I also know that Jesus promised, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). I do minister on National Television and I do not demean the power of Television or Radio ministry in any way, however Jesus never promised that He would manifest in the midst of those watching a Church service on TV. Jesus only promised that He would manifest where 2 or 3 believers physically gather together. TV ministry can only come in to supplement the physical assembly of the Church. That is why I cannot agree with any apologists who argue that it is enough to follow services at home via TV, Radio or online via Internet. Moreover there are individuals who may not own smartphones, laptops, TV sets or radios but who still need the ministry services of the tangible church congregation.

When I pass by all the shut and silent churches along the highway as I move to conduct services at Worldwide Apostolic Church, I cannot help but ponder on the question Jesus asked, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Can’t we have at least 10 righteous men in the city of Kampala (Gen 18:32) who will stand in faith and declare that that their churches will not be shut since they have God’s solution to the Corona virus? I never knew that I would experience the fulfilment of these scriptures in my lifetime. Likewise I see the fulfilment of Jesus’ statement about the love of many growing cold (Mat 24:12) since it is obvious that sin will abound and many believers will backslide when churches are shut (Heb 3:13).

When the King of Israel received a letter from the Syrian general Naaman to be cured of leprosy he was totally bewildered; “And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me” (2 Kings 5:7). Likewise in this day and age it is obvious that politicians do not have the solution to the Corona Virus just like the King of Israel could not make heads or tails of Naaman’s desire to be healed of leprosy by the state bureaucracy. However, a voice from Samaria that had received a double portion of the anointing thundered from Mount Carmel; “And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel” (2 Kings 5:8). What was so hard for the state bureaucracy to handle was proclaimed to be a piece of cake by Prophet Elisha because he had faith in Jehovah Rapha the Lord our healer. Naaman was healed of his leprosy after approaching Prophet Elisha and obeying his command to wash in the River Jordan (2 Kings 5:14). Likewise in this situation facing our nation and world at large, the Kings have to step aside in humility and allow the healing power of Jesus Christ to manifest through his servants.