Pastor Mensa Otabil, the renowned Founder of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), shared a remarkable anecdote of an incident where he offered a simple and gentle prayer for a family coping with a mentally challenged relative, only to be met with a surprising response.
In the story, Pastor Otabil, during his address at the Maker’s House Chapel International, on the opening day of the Experience Conference 2023, described how he was called upon to pray for a man who was struggling with severe mental challenges.
The man’s sister, a member of Pastor Otabil’s church, had sought his assistance.
Arriving at the family’s home in Osu, Pastor Otabil found the distressed family members eagerly awaiting his intervention.
In the calmest of tones, Pastor Otabil uttered, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I rebuke this spirit from your mind. Be free and be set free.”
Having finished his brief prayer, he quietly departed from the scene.
However, the sister of the afflicted man approached him and inquired, “Is that all? Have you finished?”
Reflecting on the incident, Pastor Otabil acknowledged that he understood the family’s expectations.
They had anticipated a more dramatic display of faith, complete with fervent prayers, loud declarations, and passionate actions.
However, Pastor Otabil emphasized that the power of God does not hinge on the volume of one’s voice or the stamping of feet.
“I remember years ago, I was invited to go and pray for a person who has lost his mind he has severe mental challenge. And he was a member of our church. And, of course, you know, when people are in trouble they call for pastor. I don’t know why they don’t call for psychiatrists who have mental problems talk to a psychiatrist. But they call for us.
“So we I went, so here I was I went to this home it was some was somewhere at Osu. And this guy is huge and he was fixed in one place. Fixed. you talked to him he won’t even look at you it fixed and there are people who they were all scared of him because when that thing comes, it gets very, he gets very aggressive. So this member of my church, a lady says, Pastor, my brother come and pray for him,” he said.
He added “The boy wasn’t in my church or man wasn’t my church, but this lady was in my church. So I went. And I looked at him. And I said, quietly, the whole family was there because the pastor has come he has to do something you have to do some people are watching.
“They want to see what you do. So I said, Okay, let me do what I will do. So I stood there and I said, this is what I said, in the same tone. I’m talking to you, ‘in the name of Jesus Christ. I rebuke this spirit from your mind. Be free, and be set free’ and I said, I finish and I went. I remember when I was going, the lady followed me and said pastor is that all have you finished? I am sure the family members are saying what type of pastor is this? you have to stamp your feet. You have to scream; you have to say the name of Jesus then we know power is flowing.
“But listen to me the power of God is not generated by volume of voice. the power of God is not generated by stamping of feet. The power of God is God. It is his power. And I said to myself, if I scream and I don’t scream, I don’t have the power. Do I have the power? If God doesn’t work, my screaming will not change anything. rolling on the floor will not change.”
He illustrated his point by referring to the biblical story of Elijah challenging the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.
“You remember when Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to Mount Carmel, these guys were screaming and cutting themselves and doing all kinds of stuff. Nothing happened.
“And Elijah came, no screaming, fix the altar. poured water put the sacrifice on it, and said, God, do it. Listen, if you think the power is generated by you, then of course go and learn how to increase the volume of your voice. Go and learn how to scream because the power depends on you. But if you believe it depends on God, then your faith must be in him. So of course I pray for this gentleman and the sister came and said is that all and is said yeah, what more can I do? What more can I do? What should I do? Scream?”
Pastor Otabil also recalled a subsequent encounter with the previously afflicted man at a bank, where the man recognized him and shared his remarkable recovery.
The man expressed his gratitude, explaining that he had been told that Pastor Otabil’s prayer had played a pivotal role in his healing.
“So I left and a few months later I went to preach somewhere in an office, those days’ l used to do what they call office evangelism at lunchtime. I go to preach in places. The very early days of my ministry and I saw this guy well dressed like the guy I prayed for wearing his tie. It was a bank.
“So I went to the gentleman I said, Do you know me? He said no. Do you remember me? He said no. I said I’m Pastor Mensah Otabil, he just lifted me up. He said they said you came to pray for me. You came to pray for me. And when you prayed I became well and I have been looking for you.”
Concluding his narrative, Pastor Otabil underscored the importance of recognizing that God’s power rests solely with Him and not with individuals.
“Listen to me, listen to me. God wants to do things with you. So that you the glory will be his. And when he said he was lifting me up I knew I didn’t do anything. I knew myself. If I can cure l mental cases, I will set up a psychiatric hospital and charge your family members, but I cannot do it. There is God Almighty who does his work and all you need to do is to work with him. What must we do to work the works of God? So let’s see how Jesus answered the question of the question.”