MY ENCOUNTER WITH WITCHES AND WHY PASTORS PATRONIZE OCULTS

ARCHBISHOP ELKANAH HANSON

There has been much talk about the coming outbreak of revival that will usher in the Second Coming of Christ. But how exactly this revival will occur in the light of today’s cold church halls, is a cause of concern. From the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit alone is the author of revival. He used yielded men and women mightily to cause earth-shaking revival movements from place to place in the annals of time. It is my conviction that the much expected last day revival will happen when Bible believers return to the Spirit-led worship, prayer and soul-winning. To make this happen, the Church must get back to knowing and appreciating the person, purpose and presence of the Holy Spirit. For now, majority of Christians seem too far from the Holy Spirit. At most, we seek His manifestation than His person. This is why we are far behind in the expected revival.

Gladly, I was introduced to Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, a Port Harcourt based apostolic minister, who has been leading groups, churches and ministries across the globe in bringing back the knowledge of the Person of the Holy Spirit and His place in a believer’s life.  His experience and walk with the Holy Spirit has helped him understood where we as believers missed it. I am sure his stories will not only edify you but birth a new thirst and hunger for this Person we so much neglect, as he relates also, his encounter with witches.

THE TURNING POINT

Hanson started out as a young salesman in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. It wasn’t easy for him to eke a living. One day, he got it so tough that suicide option came close to his mind. He quipped: “God has abandoned me!” But back home in his small room, as he attempted to rest his troubled nerves in the midst of growing anguish of a suicide feel, heavenly intervention came for him. A strange-figure walked into his room with such a covering brilliance that numbed his cerebral spheres. Seized with fear, he could recognize the appearance to be Jesus after He said to him: “Hanson, I have not done you any hurt. Follow me.”

Hanson threw himself on the floor and yielded his life to Jesus Christ who had just rescued him from suicide. That turning point caused a river of joy and excitement flowing in him; that encounter ignited in him zeal for witnessing. He biked to his office to declare how Jesus had met him his room and what He told him; how the light from His countenance shone in such indescribable intensity and brightness not known in the material world. While some, especially born again Christians, were jubilant hearing Hanson’s testimonies, his boss, whom he also boldly recounted his encounter with Jesus Christ to, took him for a dreamer. But Hanson’s encounter was real. People around him felt the impact which later snowballed into a mega ministry that shook Port Harcourt City and its environs.  

ENCOUNTER WITH AGENTS OF DARKNESS

As a salesman, Elkanah Hanson’s numerous clients were also the primary audience he regularly preached to, sharing encounter with Jesus. One unlucky day, he met some of his customers and shared his passion with. While he was preaching Jesus Christ to them as the only way to salvation, some members of the audience countered and offered him Olumba Olumba Obu of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star as the saviour, instead. The scenario became heated. To resolve the jigsaw, his opponents threw a contest. They said to him, “Tonight, we will prove to you that Olumba Obu whom you have so boldly denigrated, is God.” But Hanson, a young bubbling Christian convert, ignorant of spiritual warfare, took the challenge lightly.

At 10 O’clock in the night, he went to bed and was suddenly transported in the dream to a strange environment where he came face to face with over numerous wicked entities. Among them were the Olumba Obu adherents who had challenged him the previous day. In that dream, they said to Hanson; “You insulted our leader Olumba Obu, we will show you that he is God now.” As Hanson made to counter them, the crowd descended on him with cudgels and gave him the beatings of his life. Nearly given up the ghost while the torment lasted, God helped him as he suddenly woke at midnight. It was then dawned on him that the Olumba Obu devotees had hired a crowd of witches to kill him. As his torment lasted, he tried to shout but could not muster any strength. The torture he underwent was so severe that his skin turned pale. And wisdom taught him to quickly seek help from an experienced minister of the gospel. The first minister he met prayed for him; that prayer brought little relief. Not certain, he was directed to a senior minister who eventually prayed and rescued him from death whips inflicted on him.

ENCOUNTER WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

After he was delivered. The minister said to him; “Hanson, it is one thing to be born again and another to be filled with the Holy Spirit. If you are not filled with the Holy Spirit, you cannot confront demonic situations. The man of God took time to teach him about the Holy Spirit and prayed with him. Now, equipped and enamoured, Hanson survived the attack and got back to his preaching chore. 

ON THE REVENGE MISSION

Emboldened by the Holy Spirit, Hanson became very irritated by the assault attack form the wicked entities and felt it was time for revenge. He headed back to the same devotees who had thought he was dead during the night assault. Hanson’s sudden appearance shocked them. “I am alive, and not dead,” he yelled at them. Continuing, he said: “You dare open up your mouth and mention that name Olumba Obu here again and I will show you what the Holy Spirit can do to you now!” Befuddled and terrified, they kept sealed lips, while Hanson went on to further to demonstrate the power of the Almighty God in him and boldly denouncing occult practice.

He grew rapidly in faith with the Scripture Union, Port Harcourt, before setting out for crusades and later founded El-shaddai Ministries International Inc, Port Harcourt.  But there is one ministry he’s in love with – the School of the Holy Spirit. Anywhere Hanson goes with the School, pastors have witnessed revival and increase in their work because of renewed relationship and partnership with the Holy Spirit.

 WHY PASTORS PATRONIZE OCCULT FOR POWER

What a sad experience for pastors who bind and cast out demons to revert to the same for ‘help.’ Archbishop Hanson condemned pastors who out of frustration or greed, visit shrines or consult with occult for ‘power’ to perform miracles, while others seek protection from occult.

Ignorance of the Holy Spirit presence and power is what pushes pastors into the ignoble bazaar of patronizing the devil. He would tell you boldly that anyone who does not have the Holy Spirit with him or her is at the mercy of the devil, asserting: “You’re not a Christian if you don’t have the Holy Spirit.” 

(Read the interview on, Most Important Person Christians Ignore)