FOLLOWING: TB Joshua’s failed prediction on the US elections, like I forecasted, there were some sections who saddled themselves with the unenviable and onerous task of defending an indefensible gaffe.

The supposed prophet is himself battling to spin his way out of the goof.

That TB Joshua himself would spring to his own defence, chiding critics by stating that they were at an inferior spiritual level simply goes on to authenticate the truth that these so called prophets thrive on trying to monopolise (personalise) God when God has clearly spoken through his word, the Bible.

Joshua is now claiming that he meant Hillary Clinton would win the popular vote despite having clearly indicated that he saw the new president of America who would struggle to have bills passed as a woman.

Joshua shrewdly playing with words, tried in a feeble atonement of his failure to convince people.

Now, it is important and behoves true Christians to highlight the height of deception and false prophecies in the world today and below are just but a few.

Prophet Austin Liabunya

Controversial Malawian prophet, Austin Liabunya made a prophecy and reiterated it several times to convince the ‘sceptics’ that President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was not going to see the year 2014.

Later, after suffering embarrassment, the cleric revised the prophecy to say, ‘The Zimbabwean president would die by December 31, 2015 at a cross­over service in Lilongwe.

The prophecy had the media in both Malawi and Zimbabwe ringing with indignation.

“Mugabe’s biological clock will not tick beyond this year after which Zimbabwe would be restored to be one of the richest countries in Africa,” Liabunya said to an attentive audience.

He stuck by his prophecy and one only wonders how the supposed prophet feels with only five weeks left for 2016 and President Robert Mugabe recently being in Morocco.

Notoriously, again, he predicted that Zambian presidential contestant Hakainde Hichilema would emerge as the new president of Zambia but we all know Edgar Lungu, the current Zambian president, won the elections.

Prophet Blessing Chiza

This emerging prophet from Bulawayo was slowly gaining popularity until he fell on his own sword.

He dabbled in soccer and at one time had the nation eating from his palm on soccer outcomes.

He predicted the outcome of a soccer match between Libya and Zimbabwe wrongly after initial successful guesswork He stated on the eve of the crunch match that Zimbabwe would beat Libya 3­0.

“I sense strongly in the spirit that the Warriors of Zimbabwe will beat Libya with three goals. I see Zimbabwe proceed to the CHAN final.” Zimbabwe went on to lose 4­5 on penalties.

He lost the faith of even the gullible.

Prophet Madungwe

To an extent, I concur with many who felt that the media is to blame for giving this controversial character acres of media space.

Prophet Talent Madungwe of The Exile Desire of All Nations Ministry was adamant and went on radio several times affirming a prophecy that he had been told by God that God would be visiting Zimbabwe on October 20, 2016.

He mentioned that the visit would be physical and, despite it being clear hogwash from a purely biblical perspective, he captured the attention of the nation and there was an air of expectation on the 20th of October yet the day came and life could not have been any normal.

That the beleaguered prophet would say the visit was private went on to prove the height of falsity in these prophecies.

Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa

The prophecies by this man that have not come to pass only leave the naive to continue upholding his prophet badge.

Foremost, Makandiwa has prophesied since 2012 that Zimbabwe would become a great year in every succeeding year.

This economic boom prophecy has been churned out successively with each year running into the next to date yet the economic logjam has even assumed a worse dimension.

In fact, at the time when he made the economic prosperity prophecy the country was hit by the worst drought in recent years threatening the livelihood of millions.

“This is a year of great harvest as there will be no depression and sorrows.”

Surely, how can 2016 be called a year of great harvest as we see it coming to a close with a near relapse to the 2008 crisis? It was also Makandiwa who mentioned that gold would be picked from the ground in 2013 and the nation is yet to meet those who picked the gold. Even more, he predicted a famous person dying in a plane and this has not come to pass.

Prophet Walter Magaya

“God said to me 2016 is the year of overflow and abundance,” Magaya said to multitudes of his followers in Waterfalls as we entered 2016.

Apparently, he claimed that he had spent the greater part of December interceding and seeking God’s plans. Actually, he had to travel to Nigeria to his spiritual father TB Joshua who affirmed the prophecy (it makes two of them, doesn’t it).

“I went to ask my spiritual father and he confirmed this. Yes, I know we are going through tough times as a country, but this year, it is a year of overflow. I asked him (TB Joshua) my father, this is what the Lord is telling me, but look at our situation as a country in Africa, is this true? He said it’s true.” Strange, isn’t it? Need I say more? Indeed, there is a thin line between ‘prophecy’ and opportunism.