‘IT IS WAR’ IS ALL ABOUT CONFRONTING AND DEFEATING ALL DEMONIC SPIRITS
– BISHOP DR. TOM SAMSON
Bishop Dr. Tom Samson is arguably the most popular man of God in Nigeria renowned with donning military apparels in spiritually combating the evil realms. He s the General Oveseer of Christ Royal Family International Churches with branches in Nigeria, United Kingdom, the United States and some parts of Europe. He is also an educationist who founded nursery and primary and secondary schools, college of education and a university. Bishop Dr. Tom Samson recently held a press conference where he shed lights of this year’s ‘IT IS WAR’, annually organized by his church, the Christ Royal Family. Here are excerpts of the inteview he granted.
Q …..Can you tell us more about ‘IT IS WAR’?
We give God the glory. It Is War started in 2004. I’ve been having a programme titled ‘Reining in Life Conference’ and we started at Lagos Airport Hotel and it has an amazing impact. From there, I took the conference to Abuja, Portharcourt. That was 2001. But in 2004, the Lord told me, the Lord said there are too many spiritual forces at work in people’s lives. For example, when we talk about success, we talk about people having visions, drives. A lot of people with challenges today, they even borrow money to do everything they want to do. But Somehow, it wasn’t working. We have seen where the government, David representing the government being manipulated by satan and what God told David Lis that he should not count people. The Bible says that satan manipulated David and David found himself doing things that led to thousands of people dieing. There are demonic manipulations. Whether we like it or not, we cannot deny that. Everybody knows the plans of Satan and what does Satan do, Satan come to steal, kill and destroy. When you see world all over, people do some terrible things and if you ask them why they do it, they say satan made me to do it. So, there are demonic powers, there are satanic forces at work in people’s lives. God now told me, you are going to commence a programme titled ‘IT IS WAR’. That is putting the devil where he belongs. In a normal way as a pastor, you put on suits, you put on collar, when it is war, it’s a different concept. It is war means it’s going to be confrontational. It’s not going to be normal just preaching and how this inspiration come from, anywhere you see a man putting on camouflage, it shows one thing, confrontation, battle. So, in 2004, when the Lord told me about staring IT IS WAR in Lagos, I put on military camouflage and all hell let loose, all over Nigeria, Lagos, a man of God putting on camouflage. It was all dramatic and I just felt it’s just to get attention for this important assignment and I must tell you, the first time ‘IT IS WAR’ in Lagos Airport Hotel, there were men from DSS, there were men from police, military, they just want to know, what is this man after.
I was the first in Nigeria to put on camouflage and to announce war, why war? Everybody started asking question, why war? Why military camouflage, they came and I climbed the pulpit and the words of God was preached and they saw power. They saw demons coming out of people, they saw manifestation of God’s power. Can I tell you something, many people those days, now that was 2004, almost 19 years, people that God has turned their lives around, they were instrumental to my level today, God has taken us to all over the word. Through IT IS WAR, we have expanded the kingdom, a lot of things we’ve done in education sector, we’ve perfected lives talking about community help, we’ve done so much across the globe, people were liberated through IT IS WAR. There are many bankers, politicians and others today who got their jobs through IT IS WAR. Now, who are we fighging? There are demonic powers, invicible forces, the Bible says a man’s enemu will be his household and that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. Can I tell you something to let you know what devil can do, devil can possess somebody and he will carry gun and begin to shoot, after he has killed many people, he wont know what to do. We have seen couples in Nigeria killing themselves, w have seen where some government agents will come up with policies that will cause a terrible setback. There are agents of darkness globally, in the family, in the nation but you see, we can put the devil where it belongs. Why fighting ourselves? When somebody is under demonic attack, it manipulates your mind. So, we come with IT IS WAR to destroy satanic forces in people’s lives and I’ll tell you, the result has been amazing. We took it to Port Harcourt, Abuja, we took it to London, Manchester, we took IT IS WAR to America, Houston, Atlanta. It’s been amazing, it’s been wonderful. It is what comes up yearly. So, it is coming again, it’s the 19th year and I wont lie to you, where were we 19 yea rs ago? There were many destinies of many people, where were they 19 years ago? Well, IT IS WAR is all about putting the devil where it belongs. There are forces we can’t see but facing it from the spiritual angle. Jericho came down by a siege, when Isabella came down by a siege, people were crying until there was a spiritual perfection. So whether we like it or not, a national can be under a siege, a family can be under a siege and an indivdual can be under a siege. Until there is a divine intervention before they are liberated. So, IT IS WAR, victory assured, victory at last, that’s all about the concept of ‘IT IS WAR’.
Q….What difference are we expecting from this year’s ‘IT IS WAR’?
We know how we used to be last year, grace has increased, anointing has increased, population has increased. This time around, we are looking at the word of God in a new dimension as the revelation of God has impacted us. We’re looking up to move higher and I want to say in this edition. So, the grace of God has increasedm the word of God has increased. Bible says He sent forth His word and His word delivered them. So, we are believing God for more manifestations, more deposition of the spirit, more revelation of the power of God. We’re getting amazing results this year.
Q…..When you started ‘IT IS WAR’, you started with nine people, but today it has expanded globally. Are you doing this programme alone or there are some men of God supporting you?
You know, when you attend this kind of programme, there are so many men of God who were in that programme. About a week ago, I have a network filled with pastors and general overseers of churches. I have over 600 pastors who are founders of ministries who look up to me as a mentor and my life is so effectives. You see, when you are a man of God, there is something unique about the power you carry, the grace of God, the endorsement of God on your life and it is effectives. The war is not about me, it’s about impacting individuals and letting them know how you can overcome the problem of your life spiritually. So, there are so many great men of God who have benefitted from this programme. When you come to ‘IT IS WAR’, you see over 100 general overseers and great men of God who are there with the anointing from different countries and they go back to their territories and become more victorious. So. ‘IT IS WAR’ has raised the youths, a housewife, a businessman to begin to deal with the challenges of his life. We only preachy the spirit of God, the anointing of God and when you are impacted, you invite others. When you attend this camp meeting, I tell you there is no way you will not be impacted. It is a place where witches will enter and wil begin to vomit, beging to confess, you see strange happenings if you ever come my meeting, demonic powers are messed up, people are healed. You see manifestations by virtue of the anointing. There was a time in my meeting at Airport Hotel, I showed it on my TV programme, a woman was vomiting 36 golden cows and she confessed that she is an agent of the marine spirit. We cannot deny it, there are demonic agents in this world. Even in th bible when God sent Aron on an errand, Moses turned staff to a snake, agents of darkness did the same thing. I grew up in Ile-Ife am now 58 years old. I grew up in that community to know demonic powers, I was a victim of demonic attack. Can I tell you something, when you’ll be faced with supression, you’ll be sleeping and you’ll be pressed down, you cannot open your eyes, you wake up in the morning you see spots all over you. Who will say there are no witches? Who will say there are no wizards, who will deny the fact that there are demonic powers? In our schools, both primary and secondary, cant you see cultism? They are not preaching the world of God, there are many wickedness, what shall we do? Do we fold our arms and watch demons torment our nation? No!
Q….What message does ‘IT IS WAR’ has for the youths?
The message is that, the Bible says resist the devil. What is satan’s assignment? Satan come to kill, to steal and to destroy. Our youths are conscious of wealth. That’s why you see today, the young ones are stealing pants, they are taking somebody’s breast. Can you see what our nation has degenerated into? Anything you get from satan has consequences and let me tell you this, whether they like it or not, our leaders, politicians, billionaires, anyone of them that has ties with the devil, will surely be exposed. Anything that is of God will surely stand the test of time. I was a youth, in our days things were tough but yet we took the path of God. Our nation will excel whether we like it or not. The path of the youth is so horrible we will keep on praying that the devil will not take over our youths. They will see the power of God. They will see the anointing of God and they will know that God maketh a way. The bible says God delivers the oppressed. There is nothing that you are looking for in satan that you don’t have in God. With righteousness, you will get there.
Q…..What is the impact of ‘IT IS WAR’ on the nation’s leaders?
Yoruba has an adage, you can force a horse to the river, but can you force the hors e to drink the water? No. For example, if this programme is on the social media, will the leaders of the nation, will they listen to it? Somebody will prosper, look at the impact of social media, do you know in this same phone, we have pornography, in this same phone we have gossip comments, so that you have this phone and am preaching on it does not mean they will listen to it. Am one of the few men of God that used television to preach God’s words years back and we spent a lot of money on TV and somebody might just get there and change the channel to football or change it to drama where they are kissing. So, it is painful to pay so much on TV and somebody refuse to listen to your preachings. Even when jesus was preaching, there were people who did not listen to him, they prosecute him for preaching the gospel. The gospel has power to impact and to influence, through prayers we can make breakthroughs. I know that with the special grace of God, in this new dispensation we are going, many of our leaders will open their hearts to receive the Lord.
Q…..Why the choice of Oranmiyan Hall as the venue for IT IS WAR?
The fact is Oranmiyan Hall has been the venue we use until God tell us to do otherwise. Now, that you do something that is so loud and so crowdy doesn’t mean everybody will respond to you This is a meeting directed by God and we have to follow the instruction of the Holy Spirit and the way its leading us. For example, there was a time we wanted to build a stadium in our royal city in Ota and we are still awaiting response and we are believing God that those who will be touched by the spirit will respond. IT IS WAR is for ereybody. Now when you hear IT IS WAR, it’s a war against hardship, war against satanic stronghold. Now, when you hear that advise or you see the flyers, you will be inspired.
Q……..What are the tools you want to use to fight this war and you said you have over 600 pastors that see you as a mentor, could you tell us the men of God who also mentored you?
Thank you… which weapons are we using? The Bible says the weapon of our warfare are not carnal, they are not physical but they are mighty through God. Ephesians 6: 1 says we should carry the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. The number one thing we use to deal with demonic powers is the word. Get into the word of God. You cannot deal with spiritual matter with the physical one. In the book of Jeremiah, God said this my word in your mouth, I will make it fire. Two, the weapons of prayer. There are prayer dimensions that can pierce through the spiritual, three the power of the Holy Spirit. The spirit of God is so powerful. As I invite all of you to our programme, you will see all these being demonstrated. I grew up and read Yoruba very well, in Yoruba, you can say incantations, it’s also the word. Ohun ta ba wi fogbo logbo ngbo, ohun taba wi fogba logba ngba. As you say that thing, If you say Mr. Banji your shop will not sell, you have invoked the word on that shop and it will happen. Banji will sleep from morning till night, he will not sell. Again as a man of God, covered with the Holy Spirit, if I say by the power of God every demonic word said against you should perish, that man if he is coming to do it will perish on the road. After you speak, there is an object that will activate it. Jesus said the words that I speak unto you, they are spirits. For my mentors, I have the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa and Pastor Chris Oyakhilome. They are great and wonderful men of God. No one trained my to be a man of God, but I was influenced greatly. I read books, I attend conferences. For example, about two weeks ago, I was in one with Bishop Oyedepo and many other great men of God. You see, there was a time Baba Kumuyi had a retreat for pastor several years ago, me and my wife were there because if you want to be great in life, you have to tap from men who have excelled. Learning is a continuous process
