The failed prophecy is not a failure

By Prince Adjei – Guy Gee

There are moments in life when what we expected to happen simply does not happen. Words spoken with confidence meet the hard wall of reality. Certainty gives way to humility, and what was declared publicly must be addressed publicly. In such moments, disappointment is not only personal—it becomes communal, especially when the words carried spiritual authority.

Prophet Bernard ElBernard Nelson Eshun has found himself in one of those defining moments. Through a book, videos, and media interviews, he declared that Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong would win the New Patriotic Party presidential primaries on Saturday, January 31, 2026 and become the party’s flagbearer. That word, however, did not come to pass. And rather than deflecting blame or hiding behind religious language, he did something rare: he admitted it plainly. He acknowledged the miss, accepted responsibility, and offered an apology with humility.

“I missed it. I was wrong. I am deeply sorry.”

Weight

That statement carries weight. In a spiritual climate where many would rather protect reputation than embrace truth, this apology reflects something deeply biblical: accountability. Prophet Bernard recognized that his words affected people emotionally, spiritually, and even politically. He admitted that some made decisions based on what he declared, and he expressed sorrow for the disappointment and harm caused. Such honesty is not weakness—it is a necessary posture before God and man.

Yet beyond the apology lies a deeper question that must be asked: what does a failed prophecy truly mean? Is it the collapse of divine purpose? Is it the end of credibility? Or could it be, as Scripture often reveals, a reminder that human perception is limited, while God’s plan remains perfect and uninterrupted?

This is where the truth of the heading becomes clear: the failed prophecy is not a failure. The prophecy may not have manifested as declared, but God is not undone. The prophet may have missed it, but God has not missed His schedule. The declaration may have fallen short, but divine purpose still stands beyond human prediction.

Understand

To understand this, we must return to the Scriptures, particularly John 11— the story of Lazarus. Lazarus was sick, and his sisters, Mary and Martha, urgently sent word to Jesus: “Lord, the one you love is sick.” In human expectation, Jesus should have rushed immediately to heal him. That would have made sense. That would have been timely. That would have prevented pain.

But the Bible tells us something startling:

When Jesus heard this, he said, “This sickness will not lead to death, but to God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.)

Jesus stayed where He was for two more days. By the time He arrived, Lazarus was no longer sick. He was dead. Buried. Four days gone. To Mary and Martha, it looked like failure. It felt like abandonment. Their hearts cried out the words many believers still whisper in moments of disappointment: “Lord, if you had been here…”

In other words, this would not have happened if the timing was right.

Yet Jesus revealed a deeper truth. The delay was not denial. The silence was not absence. The sorrow was not the end. What looked like loss was setting the stage for glory. Lazarus’ resurrection became one of the greatest signs of Christ’s power, and notably, it was the last miracle Jesus performed before His own death. God allowed what seemed final so that something greater could be revealed.

Lens

This is the lens through which we must understand moments like this. A prophecy that fails in the public eye does not necessarily mean God has failed. It may mean human limitation has been exposed. It may mean pride must be replaced with humility. It may mean the prophetic ministry must return to sobriety, discernment, and reverence.

This is why Ecclesiastes 3:11 speaks with such power: “He has made everything beautiful in His time.” Not in our time. Not in political time. Not in election time. Not in the prophet’s time. But in God’s time. His schedule is divine, His wisdom is complete, and His outcomes often unfold through processes we cannot immediately understand.

God’s timing is perfect, even when it confuses us. He brings beauty and resolution when it is most appropriate, not necessarily when we expect it. Even the moments that seem chaotic, negative, or disappointing are not outside His design. Scripture reminds us that while we sense eternity, we cannot fully grasp God’s work from beginning to end. That is why faith is required—not faith in personalities, but faith in God’s sovereign plan.

So yes, Prophet Bernard’s prophecy, as declared, failed. And he has rightly accepted that. But the moment itself does not have to be wasted. A failed prophecy is not a failure if it produces humility. A failed prophecy is not a failure if it restores accountability. A failed prophecy is not a failure if it reminds the Church that God is not bound by political contests or human ambition.

In many ways, this apology may be more powerful than the prophecy itself. It is a call back to integrity. It is a reminder that prophecy is not entertainment, not prediction, and not political forecasting. It is sacred. And when sacred things are mishandled, repentance is the only path back to honour.

Like Lazarus in the tomb, what looks finished may only be waiting for resurrection. God still makes all things beautiful. In His time. And when that beauty comes, we will understand that even the painful moments were not wasted—they were part of the divine story.