Pastor Dolapo Lawal has spoken publicly about a spiritual experience he says occurred during a period of fasting with an individual who approached him for help, using the account to stress the importance of discernment and knowing personal limits in ministry.

Lawal, who shared the story during a recent sermon, explained that the encounter began when the individual came to him facing what he described as serious personal challenges. According to his account, the person requested spiritual intervention, and they agreed to observe a fast together as part of the process.

The pastor said the experience took an unexpected turn on the second day of the fast. During his sermon, Lawal recounted having a disturbing dream in which an unidentified figure issued direct threats against him and his family, including his wife and child.

According to Lawal, the content of the dream was not what unsettled him most. Rather, he said the language used in the dream stood out. He explained that the threats were delivered in Yoruba instead of English, a detail he interpreted as spiritually significant and troubling.

Recounting the incident to his congregation, Lawal said the experience prompted him to reassess his role in the situation. He told listeners that, following the dream, he decided to transfer the individual’s case to the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, commonly known as MFM, a Pentecostal church widely recognised in Nigeria for its emphasis on intense prayer and spiritual warfare.

According to Lawal, the decision was not an admission of failure but a conscious act of discernment. He stressed that spiritual leaders must be able to recognise when a matter exceeds their personal capacity or spiritual assignment.

“People should know when things are above them and pass it on,” Lawal said during the sermon, according to reports. He added that wisdom in ministry sometimes involves stepping aside and allowing others with a different mandate or focus to intervene.

Background on fasting and spiritual intervention

Fasting remains a common spiritual practice across many Christian denominations in Nigeria, particularly within Pentecostal and charismatic movements. It is often undertaken alongside prayer as a means of seeking divine intervention, clarity, or deliverance in difficult situations.

Pastors are frequently approached by individuals seeking solutions to problems ranging from health and family challenges to financial and spiritual concerns. According to religious observers, this places significant responsibility on clergy, who must balance compassion with caution.

Lawal’s account reflects a broader pattern within Nigerian Christianity, where pastors openly share personal spiritual experiences during sermons as teaching tools. Such testimonies are often intended to reinforce faith, highlight spiritual realities, or caution congregants about unseen dangers.

However, the public sharing of such experiences can also attract debate, particularly in an era where sermons are widely circulated online and scrutinised beyond the immediate church audience.

Why the development matters now

The account has drawn attention because it touches on ongoing conversations about the role and limits of spiritual authority. In recent years, Nigerian pastors have faced increased public scrutiny, with critics questioning how spiritual encounters are interpreted and how far clerics should go in addressing personal problems brought to them by congregants.

Lawal’s emphasis on referral, rather than personal intervention at all costs, offers a perspective that contrasts with the expectation that a pastor must handle every spiritual issue directly. According to faith based analysts, this approach may reflect a growing awareness among some clergy of the emotional, spiritual, and ethical boundaries involved in ministry.

Religious sociologist Dr Akinwale Ojo, who studies Pentecostal movements in southwestern Nigeria, said the idea of referral within spiritual leadership is not widely discussed but is increasingly relevant. He explained that acknowledging limits can reduce burnout among pastors and help congregants receive appropriate support.

“Within Pentecostal spaces, pastors are often seen as capable of handling all spiritual matters,” Ojo said. “When a leader openly says a case is beyond him and refers it elsewhere, it challenges that assumption and introduces a healthier conversation about responsibility.”

Language, culture, and interpretation

Lawal’s reference to the use of Yoruba in the dream also highlights how language and culture influence spiritual interpretation. In many Nigerian Christian contexts, indigenous languages are sometimes associated with deeper cultural or ancestral meanings, particularly in discussions around spiritual warfare.

According to cultural analyst Funmi Adebola, language can carry symbolic weight in spiritual narratives. She noted that for some believers, the use of a local language rather than English may signal a closer connection to familiar or inherited spiritual contexts.

“This does not mean the interpretation is universal,” Adebola said, “but it explains why such details stand out strongly to individuals recounting spiritual experiences.”

The account may encourage further discussion among pastors and church members about collaboration across ministries, especially when dealing with complex spiritual concerns. It also raises questions about how churches train leaders to recognise situations that may require referral rather than direct involvement.

Observers will be watching to see whether Lawal expands on the message in future sermons, particularly regarding practical guidelines for discernment. It remains unclear whether the individual involved has since found resolution through MFM or other means, as Lawal did not provide further details.

The incident also underscores how sermons increasingly function as public content. Once shared online, personal spiritual testimonies can reach audiences far beyond their original context, shaping wider perceptions of faith practices in Nigeria.