I know what you are thinking. That headline is shocking. It sounds like heresy. It sounds like I’m telling you to put your trust in weapons, abandoning the bedrock of our faith. But hear me: This mindset—this belief that your church is protected by prayer alone—is precisely what the enemy wants us to believe. It is a form of spiritual negligence that goes directly against the command of Christ. I am tired of seeing Christians succumb to this idea when we have been given a clear mandate for Prayer AND Protection. We must stop clinging to a passive faith that believes God will act without our prudence, and look instead at the whole counsel of God.
Did Jesus really say prayer is insufficient? Yes. And here is the proof: The whole conflict revolves around the statement Jesus gave hours before His arrest: "He said to them, 'But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.'" (Luke 22:36). This was not a suggestion; it was an instruction. It signaled the end of their season of total miraculous provision and ushered in the age of human responsibility. The "sword" was a mandate for prudence and provision. Jesus was telling us that spiritual integrity does not nullify the need for practical defense. To rely on prayer and yet refuse to buy the sword (i.e., take practical steps for security) is to ignore a direct command from the Master. This is the truth that must inform every action we take today as we face merciless attacks.
This dangerous ideology—this spiritual arrogance—is what we must dismantle. We have all heard preachers declare: "It’s a lie! Boko Haram cannot harm me, I speak in tongues!" But the grim reality is that pastors are being k****ed, and families are being abducted. Speaking in tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit, but it is not a shield against a bullet when we refuse to apply the most basic form of wisdom. The spiritual gift is for ministry; the sword is for defense. We must stop using faith as an excuse for foolishness.
Now, let us deal with the most immediate question: What do we do when the attack is happening? We cannot wait for the authorities. We cannot assume protection will arrive. If a Christian is opportuned to disarm a criminal, if a tool or weapon is available to defend life, you must use it. The Old Testament law established that the preservation of innocent life justifies defense (Exodus 22:2). This means that at the point of aggression, any means of defense available—be it wrestling a gun from a criminal, using a farm tool, or fighting back with a bare hand—is mandated by scripture. This is not revenge; this is the desperate fight for life. The failure to use the means available is a tragic form of compliance, a mistake we cannot afford to repeat.
This brings us to the Nigerian legal reality. The law is clear: The private possession of firearms is strictly controlled by the Firearms Act (1959). So, while Luke 22:36 is a biblical mandate, our action must be legal. This restriction actually strengthens the case for Luke 22:36: the command to buy a sword transforms into a mandate for professional, legal provision—investing heavily in trained, licensed security personnel as the church's legal 'sword.'
But I cannot conclude this without acknowledging the deep fear I feel and the truth I believe many voices share: We are sacrificing lives to comply with a failing system. Because of the rampant insecurity and the heartbreaking lack of trust many civilians have for any licensed personnel—due to corruption or suspected infiltration—I pray fervently that one day, our country will recognize the desperate need and allow law-abiding civilians to own guns for legitimate self-defense, just as citizens are permitted in many other nations facing similar threats. This is the desired end of the Luke 22:36 provision principle: full legal capacity to protect the innocent.
But until that law is changed, we must be careful not to allow our desperation to become disobedience. Any action we take to bypass or break the current law, even in the name of self-defense, is disobedience to the authorities God has currently placed over us, and it will be regarded as a sin before God. Therefore, our final verdict is clear: We must stand firm with the wisdom of Luke 22:36, ensuring our perimeter is secure through licensed means and that every member is prepared to fight back in the moment of attack. And we must stand pure with the grace of Matthew 5:39, ensuring our hearts are free of vengeance. Our faith demands both.
