By Ayomide Otitoju
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 accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to what he described as the “uncommon mercy of God.”
Adeboye made the remarks during a sermon on Sunday, January 4, at the RCCG national headquarters in Oyingbo, Lagos, according to Church Times.
Reflecting on reports of the accident, which claimed the lives of two of Joshua’s friends, the cleric said he was particularly struck by accounts that the boxer had changed seats shortly before the crash.
“I read in the newspapers how Joshua swapped his sitting position while travelling in the vehicle that crashed,” Adeboye told the congregation,ecause of the mercy of the Lord. It is not my cleverness, but the mercies of the Lord,” he said.
Adeboye also recalled a past journey to Japan, undertaken despite a prophecy that his plane would crash, saying his survival reaffirmed his belief in God’s sovereignty over life and time. “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,” he said.
In a personal reflection, the cleric recounted his early years as a lecturer at the University of Lagos, admitting that he was once openly critical of Christianity. He said his first encounter with the RCCG occurred while accompanying a friend on a research trip near the Lagos coast.
Describing his initial impression of the church, Adeboye said he dismissed it because of its modest structure, though he noted the peace he observed among its members. He added that it was later, during a period of personal difficulty, that he found himself drawn back to the same church.
“It is by the mercy of God that I am saved,” he said. “Until today, I cannot understand how it happened other than mercy.”
Adeboye also spoke on the issue of giving, stressing that God is not dependent on human contributions. He said any gift accepted by God is itself an act of mercy, recalling an instance when a donated item was rejected following divine instruction.
“Without you, God can do His work,” he said, emphasizing the sovereignty and self-sufficiency of God.
