The Senior Pastor of Eternity Network International, Apostle Joshua Selman, has been criticised by netizens for saying that a woman's prayer against someone is very dangerous and can only be overturned by a cry for mercy.

The cleric made the statement while delivering a sermon before his congregation, as seen in a viral video on social media.

Selman said, "If a woman prays against you, just cry for mercy. And if a woman cries... in the Bible, there are no wailing men but there are wailing women who beat their chest before the Lord. Did you hear about Hannah the prophetess? She stood there for 60 years, crying for the arrival of Jesus."

Reacting, some netizens used scriptures from the Bible to prove that God does not answer prayers based on gender but based on righteousness and in alignment with his will.

An X suer, @MAgbogidi, said, "God does not answer prayers based on gender; He answers prayers based on righteousness, obedience, and His will. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective - Jam 5:16. God does not show favouritism - Acts 10:34. If someone, man or woman, prays unjustly or out of malice, God will not honour that prayer.
What matters is if the person is praying in truth, with a pure heart, and in alignment with God's will, not whether they are male or female. Let’s stop spreading fear and superstition in the name of God."

@Darnjorsh said, "Asinine talk. Most of these pastors don’t even read the bible, standing on an altar, deceiving an entire congregation, making women feel they’re extra special if they pray. Probably his church is full of women, so I clearly understand he wants to make money."

@TradeMaze1 said, "There is no biblical support for the idea that prayers from one gender are more powerful than those from the other. Instead, Scripture consistently points to the righteousness, humility, faith, and heart of the person praying as the factors that affect the power of prayer."

Apostle Selman's claim that the Bible recorded no wailing men but wailing women was debunked by @GentleGiant013, who wrote, "Jesus Wept. Jeremiah was described as The Crying Prophet. Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations. Many times in the Bible, a man CRIED to the Lord. To wail means to emit loud cries–men did several times in the Bible."

ASA